Bella and the Beast
by SiddaCullen
Summary: Based on Beauty and the Beast. Bella is a shy girl who loves to read and rejects the advances of the hopeful. Her father goes missing and she sets out to find him, coming across a mansion and a certain 'beast' at the edge of town trading her life for his.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight or it's characters. I just play with them.

**Summery: **When Bella's father goes missing, she is afraid, but determined to find him. She finds his police car in front of a presumably empty house. What she finds inside the house is not what she expects. She makes a horrifying deal with the 'beast' of the castle, trading herself for her father. Can she break a century's old curse and help a heartless 'man' learn how to love again? Darkward.

**A/N: **This first chapter is kind of an introduction of sorts. Please review and let me know what you think so far!

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**1.**

My life was anything but a fairy tale.

I know what you're thinking. _Who's life is anymore? _I guess it all depends on your point of view. From where I was standing on that dreary Monday morning, I was in a hellhole.

Jess was late picking me up. Again. Nothing about that girl has been punctual ever since we started high school. We've been best friends ever since the first day of kindergarten when I beat up a scrawny boy who was teasing her because of her hair. It was cut in a boyish style because her mom was terrified that she would come home with lice. That boy and some friends of his were teasing her and calling her a boy. I'd heard it from nearby and came rushing to her aid. From my little five year old perspective I beat the hell out of him. In actuality I just punched him in the nose, causing it to bleed. The teacher called my dad and when we went home he gave me my first ever grounding.

Jess and I have been friends ever since.

She's kept her hair a safe length, never letting it get any shorter than her shoulders. I tell her it doesn't matter, but she's scarred for life now. I guess it doesn't really matter.

But Jess has sort of gotten into a phase where she doesn't want to hang out with me anymore. Or be seen with me in public. Which is weird because I never really did anything to piss her off. At least, that I know of. Our relationship has never been perfect, but I'd like to say our bond is strong. I defend her a lot because she tends to get herself in situations that she can't get herself out of. Nothing serious, but still. I don't know what I did to offend her.

I peered through the window for what felt like the millionth time and rolled my eyes to find the street empty. I'm aware of my cell phone in my pocket and try to decide whether or not I should call her. Normally I wouldn't, but first period started in fifteen minutes, and if she didn't get here soon, I was going to have to walk.

Two minutes later, just as I had resigned myself to watching the news just to keep myself preoccupied, I heard the familiar horn of Jessica's car honk impatiently. _Finally. _I grab my backpack and throw it over on shoulder as I turn off the TV. Jessica is sitting behind the wheel, not paying me any attention as she looks through the thousands of texts she has probably already received this morning. Did I mention she has become sort of popular? At least she thinks so ever since she joined cheerleading.

I open the door to the passenger side and pretend not to notice the over-the-top eye roll Jessica gives me as I climb in. "Finally. I've been waiting for, like, ten minutes!" she complains as she speeds away from my house before I even have my seat belt on.

"No, you haven't." It's my turn to roll my eyes. Jess notices.

"What's your problem? Don't you have a sense of humor?"

"I don't know. I must've lost it waiting for you." I had much choosier words for her, but they all guaranteed a fight, and I was not in the mood to fight with her. It used up enough energy just trying to stay on the same side as her.

Jess rolls her eyes again. "Whatever, Bella."

The rest of the ride to Forks High School is full of awkward silences. It never used to be like this. Before high school Jessica and I would spend all day and all night talking about nothing and everything, annoying the hell out of her parents and my dad. Now we're lucky if we get more than two pleasant words out of each other.

Jessica parked in her usual spot near the front of the gym. She had cheerleading practice there and didn't like to be parked too far away from it. We both got out quickly, slamming our doors shut. Jessica locked it and hurried away towards the gym to drop off her cheer bag. I headed in the opposite direction towards the cafeteria.

I immediately spot Angela in the far corner of the cafeteria, munching on a muffin and talking to Alice. I smile in amusement as they both wave me over enthusiastically.

The cafeteria is never packed in the mornings, which is why it is our choice meeting place. Angela, Alice, and I met during freshman year. We all had first period gym together and were timid as could be. We were all chosen for the same team for basketball, not wanting to participate, and got to talking. Ever since then we stuck together, even though we are all vastly different. I'm just glad they're as annoyed with Jess as I am.

"Hey, Bella!" Alice greets me cheerfully. I don't know how, but she is always so chipper in the morning. And she doesn't even drink coffee.

"Hey, Alice. Hey, Angela," I mutter as I take a seat beside Angela and across from Alice. Alice giggles at me.

"Aren't you just the regular ball of sunshine today," she remarks, then takes a sip of her orange juice. As she does, I notice that her nails are a very bright shade of orange. She gives herself a manicure every day to match her mood. She must be feeling extra peppy today.

Beside me, Angela laughs. She isn't as outgoing and hyper as Alice, but I'm not either, so we get along great. She can keep up with Alice better than I can, though. "Give her a break. She had to get a ride from Jessica."

They both shudder from the thought, as though getting a ride to school from Jessica Stanley was like having a run in with Hannibal Lecter.

"She is such a bitch. I don't know how you stand her, Bella," Alice says disgustedly.

"Our relationship is a little complicated right now. Hopefully this bitch mode is just a phase," I reply, though I'm fooling no one. They laugh at my choice of words and don't get a chance to respond because just then the bell rings.

"So begins our seven hours of torture. See you guys at lunch?" I ask even though I already know the answer.

Angela and Alice nod, and we all head in our separate directions.

First period calculus is absolute torture. Not only is Jess in this class, but so is Lauren Mallory, Mike Newton, and Tyler Crowley. The four of them banded together during freshman year, just like Angela, Alice, and I. Only they formed the 'in' crowd and spent their free time rubbing their popular status in the rest of our faces. I did my best to ignore them, especially Jess, but I seemed to have a neon sign tattooed to my forehead that said, "Hello, my name is Bella Swan and I am an easy target."

Today wasn't any different. All four of them were already in class by the time I entered. They were all seated in the front of the room, crowded together and laughing together about something. Jess was in the middle of them, looking as though she belonged there, but not quite as enthused as the rest of them.

I tried to stay as invisible as possible. I always considered myself lucky if the Gruesome Foursome were too busy talking shit about other people to notice me. I tried to blend in with the other students who were coming in, but with my awesome luck, Lauren happened to spot me.

"Hey, Bella, did you not have time to look in the mirror this morning, or is your wardrobe always that hideous?" she sneered, causing her pack of mutts to explode with laughter.

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. No matter how much I told myself that their words would never get to me, they always bothered me more than I admitted to myself. I knew Jess played a big part of it because she'd known me for a long time. Like, preschool age. She knew what my home life was like, my past, my secrets. Everything. She probably told Lauren, Mike, and Tyler all of it.

Like I said. Bitch.

I didn't have a clever retort, a fact which I hated with every fiber of my being, and instead went to sit down as far away from them as possible.

"Oh, look everyone. _Isabella's _gonna go cry now!" Lauren went on, never taking her eyes from me. "Does anyone have a tissue?"

Mike snorted and Tyler let out a huge laugh.

Was there a hole I could crawl into?

I sunk down low in my seat, trying to ignore the few sympathetic glances from people who knew all too well what it was like to invoke the wrath of the Gruesome Foursome. Then Mr. Varner entered and everyone sobered up, including Lauren. To the teachers, Lauren Mallory was the golden child who could do no wrong.

If there was one good thing to come out of calculus class, it was that Mr. Varner didn't pick on me at all. He praised Lauren and Jess like they were the only geniuses who could keep up with his lectures, though. I had to sit through fifty minutes of praise and admiration where it didn't belong. That was a little irritating, and did nothing to help my mood throughout the day.

I was losing strength fast. It took so much out of me to keep up this lonely charade. Angela and Alice nodded understandingly when I told them I would not be eating lunch with them, but rather, going into the library for some much needed alone time.

I know hiding in the school library during lunch hour isn't exactly a cool thing to do, and only the bookworms and/or bullies hang out there. But books are my solace. My refuge. After my mom died when I was six, my father took me upstairs to his room and pulled out _Wuthering Heights, _my mom's favorite book. Yes, it's too complicated for a six year old to understand. My father knew that. He wasn't an idiot. But he didn't know what to say to make me feel better, so he decided that by reading to me, the sound of his voice might comfort me. It was something familiar. And it did help.

I've loved books ever since.

The librarian, Ms. Cope, smiles at me as I enter. I smile back faintly. She's sitting at her desk doing a crossword puzzle. Since it's lunch hour there aren't any students except me and a couple boys who come in to play chess everyday. Weird, I know, but who am I to judge?

I sit at my normal table near the back of the library and take out my copy of _Wuthering Heights. _I must've read it about twenty times, but I never tired of it. The story of Heathcliff and Cathy's love spoke to me. That and the fact that it was also my mother's favorite book made me never want to stop reading it.

Books in general are my passion. My hideaway. My safe place. Whenever my life gets too stressful or overwhelming I always find a book and escape. I know it sounds corny, but it's the truth. Some people have chess or painting or writing. I have reading.

The normal circular table I sit at is big enough for six people. I sit with my back facing the wall, overlooking the rest of the library. The library itself isn't big; about the size of two classrooms. It's organized neatly with the fiction in the front and all the nonfiction towards the back. There are four computers, two of which are occupied a few feet away from my table. The library always smells like roses because Ms. Cope always brings in fresh ones every day. No one knows why she does it. We just assume she likes them.

I take out my ipod from my backpack and put it on shuffle. Seether's song _Broken _comes on first, causing me to automatically turn the volume up a little. It's one of my favorite songs, and it puts me in the right mood for _Wuthering Heights._

I only get in about ten pages before the bells goes off, signaling the end of our precious break. I hate the thought of going back to class and putting up with Jess and Lauren and the rest of them. Even worse, my next class is with Mike Newton.

Mike Newton is the reason Lauren hates me so much. She's had a crush on him ever since the second grade. We all had a class together- Jess, Lauren, Mike, and I- and when Mike didn't return any of her affections, she started becoming this mega bitch. Mike didn't like me right away, though. He was still of the mind that all girls had cooties. Lauren didn't necessarily hate me because Mike didn't like me, and Jess was my friend and I wasn't even aware of this whole love thing until freshman year when Mike began to make advances toward me. That's when Lauren set her claws in me. And Jess, for whatever reason, went with her and turned on me.

Sounds like some super cheesy soap opera, right?

Mike laughs at all Lauren's jokes at my expense and hangs around with her because Tyler does. But he'd leave that group in a heartbeat if I told him his feelings toward me were mutual.

Then what would the Gruesome Foursome be called?

Angela and Alice have some theories that this whole Lauren-Mike-Bella 'love triangle' is the reason why Jess turned on me. She has a crush on Mike, too. Seriously, I don't know what the deal with Mike is. He isn't anything special, though he certainly thinks he is. He's quarterback of the football team and has the muscles to prove it. He's the tallest boy in school and soaks in everyone's praises as though they are oxygen to him. He flirts with every girl he sees, and most of those girls make it no secret that they are absolutely infatuated with him.

No one, including me, can understand why Mike wants me so much.

And now I'm about to go to English with him. And Lauren. Should be fun.

With a heavy sigh I tuck _Wuthering Heights _back into my backpack and stand up, pushing in my chair so that Ms. Cope doesn't have to. She's told me on numerous occasions that she hates the sloppiness of students, and I don't want to get on her bad side. I follow the boys who were playing chess out of the library, catching parts of their conversation, something to do with the logic of chess. Whatever.

As I enter Mr. Berty's dark classroom, I notice immediately that Lauren and Mike aren't here yet. It takes most of my self control not to breath a huge sigh of relief. One less thing I have to contend with at the moment.

I spot Alice in her usual seat in the far corner of the classroom, right near the window. She smiles when she notices me. I want to go over and sit next to her, but Mr. Berty gave us assigned seats, and we're in the opposite corners. But at least Mike and Lauren aren't anywhere near me, either.

They come into the classroom together, Lauren chatting away in his ear. Mike is trying really hard to look as though he's paying attention, but whenever she isn't looking at him he rolls his eyes and a pained expression crosses his features.

I almost laugh.

Mike sits down two seats in front of me, shooting a sloppy smile my way. It goes unreturned. Lauren notices and her cheeks flush red in her obvious anger. She is three rows away from us, right in the front, and it irritates the shit out of her. Mr. Berty enters right when Lauren opens her mouth to spit an ugly remark at me, so she quickly moves to sit down in her haste to keep up her charade.

I roll my eyes and cast a furtive glance in Alice's direction. From the amused look on her face, she has seen the exchange and is trying not to laugh. I smile faintly at her to show her I'm not bothered. Annoyed, mostly. And my annoyance is only added to when I realize the girl who sits between Mike and I is absent today, giving Mike fifty minutes of free sideways glances at me.

I open my notebook and pretend to be completely absorbed in note taking.

We're studying _Romeo and Juliet _and Mr. Berty is completely into it. I think Shakespeare is his hero because he gets so passionate whenever we enter our Shakespeare unit. I had him last year for accelerated junior English, and he got so wrapped up in our readings of _King Lear _that sometimes he wouldn't hear the bell and everyone would be late to their next class. So far that hasn't happened yet this year, but with my luck today will be the day.

Every so often Mike raises his arms in that mock-stretch thing guys do as an excuse to look over their shoulder in order to look behind them. Mike does this every ten minutes, and always lingers his gaze on me, not turning away until I look at him. When I do look at him he smiles smugly and asks with his eyes whether I want to go out with him. And every time I roll my eyes and go back to taking notes. Seriously, has this guy had one too many concussions and no longer able to take hints?

When I'm not dealing with Mike's vexatious behavior, I have to pretend that I don't see Lauren's jealous glares out of the corner of my eye. Do these people have nothing better to do than let their hormones get the best of them? Is high school merely a social playground for them? For the millionth time, I wonder how the hell Lauren manages to make all our teachers believe that she is some sort of virtuous honor student.

I feel like I've just been released from prison when the bell rings and Mr. Berty yells tonight's homework at us as we hurry to the door. Mike stands from his desk and lingers for a bit, waiting for me to pack up so he can walk with me. I go as slowly as possible. Mike hates to be kept waiting. I know that if I keep him waiting long enough, he'll leave in a hurry so he won't be late for his next class.

I feel complacent as I watch him hesitate for a moment longer before hurrying to leave the classroom. Alice joins me and laughs. "Well, Bella, at least I can't say you aren't amusing."

I roll my eyes and stand up, swinging my backpack over my shoulders. "I'm glad one of us was."

"Oh come on. If you'd lighten up for, like, five minutes you'd realize just how funny this whole thing is. You have Mike Newton drooling all over you! He'd be your own personal slave if you asked him to," Alice chirped.

"I don't want a slave."

It's Alice's turn to roll her eyes. "You know what I mean. I'll call you later for _Romeo and Juliet _help."

And before I can object Alice skips off down the hallway towards her last class. I roll my eyes again and start in the opposite direction towards mine.

By the end of school I feel like I've run a marathon. A person can only take so much drama before they're bound to explode. I feel as though I'm nearing my limit. Jessica has cheer practice after school, so I have to walk home. It's not that I mind, but I feel on the verge of collapsing. I want to lay in my bed and never get up.

The bad thing about Forks- as if there's a good thing- is that it is always cold and dark. Having a clear day where the sun gets a chance to shine is like a celebrated holiday here. Today is as overcast as possible, and windy. I zip up my jacket as far as it will go and pull my hood up. My dad loves this weather, which is part of the reason why we never moved away after my mother died. He thought about it, trying to decide if a complete fresh start would be the best thing for me. He even went to a grief counselor and asked her opinion. But she told him that it was a bad idea for both of us, especially me, to make huge changes after the death of a loved one. It would confuse me, disturb the grieving process, etc. In the end we stayed here. At first I didn't mind because I felt like I was closer to my mom's spirit somehow. But now I want to know what it's like to feel the blazing hot sun on my skin.

I'm shivering by the time I get to my house almost half an hour later. Charlie isn't home, but that's nothing new. Ever since he became the chief of police, it became normal for him to come home late.

I contemplate whether I should call Angela and see if she wants to come over, but decide against it. After the nightmare today had been, all I want is to do my homework, fix dinner, take a long hot shower, and crawl into bed.

Reading the assigned section of _Romeo and Juliet _doesn't take too long. The play itself isn't difficult to understand since everyone has heard the story. That and spark notes. They're a godsend. I spend more time on calculus. It's complicated and hard and in the end I give up, deciding that I'll get Angela to help me in the morning. I'd call her now, but I don't feel like getting sucked into a conversation.

With my homework 'finished' I go into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Charlie will get home any minute, and he gets a little grumpy if he doesn't eat right away. I decide to make lasagna. He likes it well enough and it's pretty easy to make. I put it in the oven for the required amount of time, then decide to take a shower.

When I'm finished showering I go back into the kitchen to check on the lasagna. Charlie isn't home yet. I frown and look at the time. It's almost seven. Normally he gets home around six-thirty. He probably got stuck on a case or something. It's not as though he hasn't been late before.

But he usually calls.

I rub my hands together and try to shake off the pessimistic voice in the back of my head telling me something is wrong.

The timer for the lasagna goes off, and I put on the oven mitts and take it out. I let it sit for a few minutes to let it cool, then go into the living room, turning on the television and tidying up just to keep myself busy and my mind occupied. I can't dwell on my father being late. It'll drive me crazy if I let it.

As I go about tidying up the living room, then putting a load of laundry into the washer, I try to ignore my steadily increasing heart rate. He should be home by now. When I start the washer I go back into the kitchen and glance nervously at the clock on the microwave.

It's nearly eight.

I bite my lip to keep from crying out. I don't know what to do. Charlie has never been this late before. Should I call his office? I'll feel really silly if I do and hear his voice telling me that he got stuck at work and to not worry. But what if I don't and something's wrong? Isn't it better to be safe than sorry?

I'm just about to dish myself some lasagna, as my stomach is grumbling at this point, when my cell phone rings. The shrill ringtone interrupts my peaceful silence and I jump, startled. I look at the number, not wanting to answer it if it's someone looking to just talk. I'm definitely not in the mood to talk.

When I see Charlie's name, I almost sigh with relief. I wipe my sweaty hands on my jeans as I flip my phone open.

"Dad?"

"Bella! Thank God! Stuck...can't...escape..." The line is full of static, as though it's about to cut out, but that's not what bothers me. It's my father's words, and the note of hysteria in his voice. Any relief that I'd let go of vanishes instantly.

"Dad? What's going on? Where are you?"

"No...stuck...help...just outside town...get help, Bella!"

He stops talking for a second, then a loud thump can be heard in the distance from his end and I hear my dad gasp in surprise.

"No!...Please...don't...!"

Then a loud crashing in the distance painfully fills my ears and I reflexively take my phone away from my ear for a second. When I hastily put the phone back to my ear a second later I hear what sounds awfully like a loud roar, and then the line goes dead.

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**A/N: **Dun dun dun! Like it? Hate it? Please review and tell me your thoughts! I'd love to hear them!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight or it's characters. I just play with them.

**Summery: **When Bella's father goes missing, she is afraid, but determined to find him. She finds his police car in front of a presumably empty house. What she finds inside the house is not what she expects. She makes a horrifying deal with the 'beast' of the castle, trading herself for her father. Can she break a century's old curse and help a heartless 'man' learn how to love again? Darkward.

**A/N: **Wow! A hundred thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm so glad you all like it! Like I said before, last chapter was sort of an introduction. This chapter is where the real action starts. Hope it doesn't disappoint! Oh, and Edward makes his appearance! Should be fun!

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**2.**

I can't move. I can't speak. My mind can't seem to process what has just happened. My phone is still open in my hands and the silence seems threatening. It's taunting me, demanding to know what I'm going to do next. But I can't answer. I don't know what to do. How am I supposed to deal with this?

My hands are trembling, and the practical part of my mind kicks in. It tells me to close the phone and put it in my pocket before I drop it and it breaks. That phone is now my lifeline. My only link to my father. Without it, he may be lost forever. No. I can't think like that. That would be giving up. I can't give up.

I cross my arms, unsure of what else to do with them. Should I go to the police? Do they already know that he's missing? Surely Charlie had the good sense to call them and not just me. He must know that I'm not equipped to deal with something like this. He hammered it into me ever since I was little what to do in case of an emergency. _Stop, drop, and roll. Call 911. Scream and yell for help in case a stranger approaches. _None of that seems adequate now. It's useless. He always told me how to take care of myself. Never did he tell me what to do to take care of _him. _

The logical thing to do would be to call the police. They have APB's and amber alerts and whatever else is needed to find a missing person. But I still can't bring myself to move. The shock has completely taken over my body. I can't seem to think clearly.

The lasagna lies forgotten on the counter. A sadness wells up in my throat and I can't seem to swallow it down. _What if he never gets the chance to eat it? _

No! Can't think like that. The only way for him to get a chance to eat it is for me to stop being a worthless coward and set out to find him.

I must put myself in Charlie's shoes. What would the chief of police do if I was missing? What does he do every single day on the job? What's the most basic part of organizing a search?

I feel useless. Absolutely worthless. How can I call myself Charlie Swan's daughter? How can the daughter of the chief of police lose her mind in a crisis? I'm going to disappoint him, and the thought drives me to the point of tears. I'll never forgive myself if I don't do something.

That's when the logical part of my brain kicks in and my legs carry me into the living room to the phone. I need to call the police. I need to tell them what has happened just in case Charlie didn't manage to call them. The more people who are out there searching for him, the better. I can't carry this much responsibility on my shoulders. I'd break from the pressure. And I'd let him down.

I dial the number and tap my foot with impatience. Why doesn't anyone answer the phone quickly anymore?

"Forks Police, Waylon speaking."

"Waylon! Has my dad called you?" I all but screamed into the phone.

I heard Waylon, my father's friend for almost twenty years, hiss in agitation. "Your dad? He left here two hours ago. Why, is something wrong?"

"He just called me! Said he was in trouble and that he couldn't escape and that I needed to get help, and..." I was hysterical now and would've kept rambling if Waylon hadn't cut me off.

"Whoa, slow down, Bella. Let me catch up to you. Has he come home yet?" Despite knowing Waylon since I was in diapers, when he thinks he has a case he gets very authoritative. It was both reassuring and annoying.

I tried to keep the disdain out of my voice as I answered him. "No. I just finished making dinner and doing my homework when he called me. The connection was weak and he was..." I paused, trying to keep my emotions in check. "He was afraid, Waylon. Terrified. He said something about escaping and that I needed to get help. Then..." I stopped again, not wanting him to hear my voice break. I needed to stay strong.

For Charlie.

"It's okay, Bella. You don't have to give me details. But you're sure he hasn't come home?"

I nodded even though he couldn't see it and mumbled, "Yeah."

He sighed. I knew this would be hard for him. Waylon and Charlie had been friends for a long time. Not letting Charlie's disappearance get to him would be hard, but if anyone could do it, he could. He was very professional and it was comforting to know that he took me seriously.

"Okay. Here's what I'm going to do. I'll gather some of my best officers as well as some of the more able bodied men in town and have them do a search. Me and my men will go around town and see what we can find. I want you to stay there in case he calls you again, or shows up. He hasn't been gone too long that there's a good chance we'll find him." He pauses, waiting for my response. But I still don't trust myself to speak. "We'll find him, Bella. Don't worry."

I open my lips and will words to come out. "Okay." It's nothing more than a raspy whisper, but it seems to be acceptable to our old family friend.

"Okay. I'll call you when we find him." His choice of words is not lost on me.

I murmur a quick thanks and we both hang up. The silence is stifling. What he told me to do makes sense, but it seems impossible for me to do. I feel so helpless just sitting here, waiting on my ass. I need to _do _something. I'll take my cell phone. Even if Charlie does somehow come home, he'd call me to tell me he was okay.

With my mind made up, I grab my jacket from the dining table and the keys to my orange truck and head outside. I don't drive my truck to school because I don't trust it to not break down. Normally I wouldn't even drive it now, but this was an emergency. I couldn't get a whole lot of searching done if I was walking.

The engine roars to life as though it's excited to drive around town. I wish I shared in its enthusiasm. I turned the stereo volume all the way down, not wanting to miss a call. It felt so weird to be out this late by myself. I realized that if we didn't find Charlie, I would have to spend the night alone in the house.

I didn't relish the thought.

Forks had a completely different atmosphere at night. Everything seemed dangerous, somehow. The shadows looked like sinister creatures, waiting to catch the unsuspecting off guard. The trees looked like lookouts to tell the other worldly creatures that innocent prey was on the loose. I double checked that my headlights were on, feeling silly, but knowing I would regret it if I didn't at least check. I was tense and couldn't seem to calm down. I felt six years old again, alone and afraid of the dark. I kept checking my phone every two minutes even though I knew I would find nothing. I was on edge. I didn't know what to do.

I drove around town aimlessly for fifteen minutes before I remembered that my dad had said something about just outside town. Was that where he was? Was Waylon going to check? Did he even think to go that far?

I rubbed my forehead in frustration. I was at a loss. Forks was a small town, but the edge of town would take a while to get to, maybe ten or fifteen minutes. Did I want to go that far? Did I want to go that far alone? The thought freaked me out, but the thought of Charlie in danger freaked me out, too. In the end my choice was clear.

I took a deep breath and made a right hand turn, driving deeper and deeper into the dense forest surrounding Forks.

All that was visible was what my headlights illuminated. Everything else was pitch black. My heart was hammering against my rib cage so hard I felt as though it might jump out of me. I desperately wanted to call Waylon and tell him where I was, but the childish part of me didn't want him to scold me for not following his orders. He'd probably insist on taking up my part of the search and sending me home right away. Did I want that? I decided not to think about it.

It was unnerving to be somewhere and not have anybody know where I was. The fact that my current location was on the outskirts of town in a very isolated and dense forest only added to my stupidity. Charlie had raised me better than this. Would he be angry if I found him? He'd probably just be relieved.

I'd never been so far away from home at night by myself before. It helped, faintly, to know that Charlie was out here somewhere. It was only a matter of finding him. I tried to keep my thoughts positive, but with the hours dwindling and the ever increasing darkness, I felt like I was a dog chasing its tail. How long had I been out here? A couple hours at least. I didn't want to think about how far from town I was.

And then a strange shape came into view. It was in the far off distance and seemed to rest on some kind of cliff. _How weird. _I couldn't make out what the shape was, and even though I didn't want to venture out much further from town than I already was, my curiosity got the better of me. I took a couple calming breaths, double checked for the hundredth time that I still had my phone, then pressed my foot to the gas pedal and drove off.

Because of the surrounding trees and dark shadows, sometimes I would lose sight of the distant object I was pursuing but it always came looming back into view. In fact, the closer I drove toward it, the bigger it became and a couple minutes later I was able to make out the shape. I was so surprised I had to rub my eyes a few times and blink just to make sure my exhaustion wasn't getting the better of me.

It was a castle. A typical, storybook, Disneyland castle. Two main towers stood at either end of the structure, the gray stones looking as though they were only recently placed. In fact, the castle didn't look old at all. If I had to guess, I would say it was only a couple years old. It sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean, a picture taken right out of a Grimm Brothers' story. I had to pinch myself a few times just to make sure this wasn't a dream.

How was it possible I had never seen this place before? I'd come out in the woods loads of times. As a kid, Charlie and I would go camping every other weekend. I'd never been one with the outdoors, but fishing, making smores, telling each other ghost stories under a full moon with a roaring campfire had been fun. I couldn't remember the exact locations we'd gone to, but I definitely would've remembered seeing this place.

I think.

Did Waylon know about the castle? Did anyone in Forks know? Did Charlie? Could this possibly be where he was? Thousands of questions swam inside my head that I didn't have the answers to. But I suddenly knew deep down that this was where my father was. It was just a matter of finding him.

I debated with myself whether or not I should call Waylon. He ought to know about this place if didn't already. His manpower would be more equipped to deal with whatever was inside it. By myself I wasn't very intimidating. Hell, even surrounded with a bunch of dominating males didn't make me intimidating. And the way Charlie had sounded on the phone made me believe that there was something truly terrifying inside that place. Something that would scare me senseless if I came across it.

But I couldn't do nothing. I had happened upon this place, and if Charlie was here, it was my responsibility to find him. It all rested on me now.

With new resolve, I put my truck out of park and drove steadily toward the very out of place castle.

I hadn't been driving for more than ten minutes when I spotted Charlie's squad car parked haphazardly in the distance. It wasn't far from the castle, maybe thirty yards or so. I pulled up next to it and parked my truck then stepped outside to inspect it. I wasn't prepared for the onslaught of cold air that assaulted me. My body immediately started to shiver. I wrapped my jacket tighter around my body and pulled the hood up. With careful strides I walked over to the squad car, both elated and nervous that I had found it.

It was empty. Not that I'd expected any differently, but it would have been nice for something good to come of this ordeal. The car itself holds no clues to my father's whereabouts except the obvious fact that he has gone inside the castle. But the doors are closed and locked, no windows have been broken and nothing looks out of place. Whatever happened to Charlie must've happened once he was inside.

It wasn't a comforting notion. I sighed in frustration. I did _not _want to go inside this creepy, ominous fortress.

My phone rings unexpectedly, jolting me back to awareness. I answer it quickly and take a quick survey of my surroundings. Hopefully whatever was out there- or in the castle- didn't hear my phone.

It was Waylon. "Hello?"

"Bella! Where are you? I've called the house about fifty times!" He sounded alarmed. Panicked, even.

I sighed. "I'm not at home. I..." I hesitated, not wanting to hear the guaranteed disappointment I knew I was about to receive from him. "I went out."

"You what? After I specifically asked you not to? What if your father tried calling? What if he thinks something has happened to you? Do you know what sorts of things wait in the dark? It's not _safe _be out alone at night!" he hissed at me. I winced.

"I know, Waylon. But I couldn't just sit around twiddling my thumbs!" I shot back, doing my best to sound convincing when I was being as quiet as possible. I didn't need whatever was out there to be alerted to my presence. I stayed between the squad car and my truck as I spoke. I didn't want to be surprised from any direction. "He called _me, _Waylon! What was I supposed to do?"

Waylon sighed. When he spoke this time, all the anger had left his voice, leaving him sounding disappointed and tired. "You're supposed to be responsible, Bella, and think with your head. You're of no use to anyone if you just wind up in the same place he is. He wouldn't want you out here risking your neck to find him, and neither would your mother."

It was a low blow bringing her up. I felt as though he'd just punched me in my stomach. But I didn't have the energy to fight with him. The cold was quickly stealing whatever energy I had left. "Yeah, okay. But listen," I began, changing the subject. "I found his car. My dad's. It's on the very edge of town. Did you know there was a castle out here?"

"A castle?" The doubt in Waylon's tone told me he didn't. "What are you talking about, Bella?"

"I found his car," I repeated. "It's right in the middle of the forest, just outside town. There's a huge castle right on this cliff by the ocean!"

Waylon didn't speak. He was probably choosing the words that wouldn't hurt me the most. Because he didn't answer right away, I knew he didn't believe me. "Tell me where you are and I'll come get you. You sound exhausted."

"I'm not making this up!" I exclaimed. "I found his car! And this a giant ass castle right here!"

"I do believe you. But it's almost eleven o'clock and you have school in the morning. If you want I can have some guys stay outside your house so that you don't feel quite so alone and we can check it out in the morning. Is that okay?" He asked. I knew he only said those things for my benefit, and I wished he wouldn't. I wasn't some fragile child. If he didn't believe me, I could handle it.

"I'm right outside town. Once you get to the forest entrance just follow the trail for...I don't know how many miles. But eventually you'll come across a cliff. That's where the castle is, and where Charlie's squad car is parked. I'll be right here." I hung up before he began to answer. Waylon hated it when I called my dad by his first name, to him making it seem as though I didn't respect him. It was absurd because I did respect him. Probably better than most the people in Forks. I stuffed the phone in my pocket and let out a huge breath, which I could see clearly in the cold air.

It would take Waylon and whoever else he got to come with him a long time to get here. It took me about two hours. It seemed stupid for him to drive all the way out here to get me when I had a perfectly able truck to take me home. He was only doing his part as deputy officer, and as our long time family friend, but it still irritated me. I guess I would never seem capable of taking care of myself to someone who had known me since I was born.

I don't know how long I stood out there, slowly freezing to death. I didn't want to think about how cold it was when I was standing out here in nothing but a t-shirt, skinny jeans, Converse and a flimsy jacket. The squad car was locked and my truck took about an hour to become fully warm.

It was only my desperation that caused me to eye the menacing castle. Did I dare? After that disturbing phone call from my dad? My shivering was on the verge of uncontrollable, and it was only adding to my discomfort. Shivering only made you colder. The last thing I needed was to fall over of hypothermia.

My unease won out, and I hurried to the entrance of the castle. I huddled against the wall near the huge brown metal double doors, trying to build up the courage to go inside. The disturbing thought that once I went inside I wouldn't come out again stuck like glue to my mind. I couldn't seem to shake it.

But my dad was in there. I knew it. I couldn't just leave him in there because I was too chicken to go in there. I wasn't his daughter if I didn't. And then Waylon would be right. I would be doing a great disservice to my mother if I didn't at least try.

I raised my hand and balled it into a fist as I knocked weakly at the front door. It barely made a sound in the freezing air, and I wondered faintly if it had even reverberated throughout the inside of the castle. I tried again, willing myself to be stronger. This time my knocking was a little better, but not by much.

My impatience got the better of me. That and the fact that I could feel my lips turning blue. I pushed with all my might on the door, gasping in surprise as it opened willingly at my touch. I let go, but it opened wider and wider until it clanged loudly against the wall. I winced, hoping that whatever threat lurked inside this place hadn't heard it. Waylon was still too far to be of any help if anything was to happen.

The entrance was pitch black and smelled musty. It reminded me of the smell of some of the rides at Disneyland and made me long for happier times. I took one tentative step forward, hoping that this temporary blindness was only an effect of being outside for so long. Warm air immediately rushed over me, so much that it nearly hurt. I was too afraid to go too far inside because my eyes hadn't yet adjusted to the dark. I crossed my arms, pushing my hands against the outside of my chest in my attempt to rush the warming process.

I half expected the open door to shut by itself and kept a wary eye on it as I stood awkwardly in what I assumed to be the middle of the entrance. I wished I'd had the good sense to bring a flashlight with me. What kind of person goes off into the forest at night without one? I made a mental note not to forget important things like that next time, even though I prayed hard that there wouldn't _be _a next time.

Finally I felt warm enough to continue. Luckily my eyes did adjust to the faint light cast upon the the castle. I walked as fast as I dared away from the open door, eager to go into a much warmer room.

The farther I ventured into the surprisingly warm castle, the better my eyes adjusted to the dim light. In the next room I was able to make out familiar shapes like an armchair, a fireplace, and the biggest bookshelf I had ever seen. My mouth hung open in awe. The entire far wall was covered in floor to ceiling bookshelves and they were all stuffed with books. My fingers craved to brush along the spines, reading the titles and choosing one that I wanted. But I had a much more important mission. I needed to find Charlie.

I ventured even farther into the castle, mentally chastising myself for doing so. How many times in one day was I going to put myself in danger? This room, too, was empty and much more eerie. The furniture was covered in white sheets that had collected years worth of dust. The next two rooms were like that as well. My heart rate started to accelerate again. So far there hadn't been any signs of life. As I continued further and further I was beginning to doubt my logic. What if this place was abandoned? What if Charlie hadn't come in here at all, but was lost somewhere on the other side of the forest? What if he had taken one look at this castle and gone running in the other direction?

But he wouldn't have. He was chief of police and he also happened to be the bravest person I knew. He'd probably gotten a call and come out here to investigate, and when he saw the this very out of place castle, he'd probably come inside to investigate.

So where was he?

I finally found the staircase as I exited yet another dark room. It was wide enough for four people to go upstairs comfortably side by side, and was blood red in color. The stairs were covered in velvet, looking as though it had been taken right out of _Gone With The Wind._ It beckoned me forward, daring me to go upstairs and see what secrets it held. I was probably going crazy, but I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to Charlie and I hadn't exhausted all avenues of investigation.

I leaned against the railing for support. My exhaustion was getting the best of me. I hoped there was a bed up here that I could collapse on. I don't know how I made it, but eventually I got to the top.

If it was possible, the second floor was even creepier than the first. All the doors were shut and everything was covered in dust. Cobwebs could be found in all corners, and a suspicious scuffling on the floor behind me made me believe that there were mice. I couldn't bring myself to look.

A loud thump on the floor above me caused me to jump in fright. It was quickly followed by another one, this one louder. I started shaking. Was whoever- or whatever- that was up there the thing that had taken my father? I couldn't be alone. And if I was, that would mean that this castle was haunted. That was a disturbing thought that I didn't relish at all.

There was another thump, followed by a loud crash. I covered my mouth to keep from yelling as I heard what sounded like footsteps pounding directly above me. I hurried to the far wall of the hallway, hoping that the darkness would be enough to keep me hidden. Where the hell was my father? And Waylon? It had been a mistake to come in here. Would I be able to make it back outside if I made a run for it?

Suddenly the shadow of a man ghosted right in front of me, and this time I did yell out a little. It wasn't loud, but the figure jumped at the sound and turned to face me. This was it. I was done for. Hopefully it would be quick and painless. I'd be seeing my mother soon. I just knew it. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the inevitable.

"Bella?" An unexpected voice stabbed the silence like a knife. I opened my eyes in surprise.

"Dad?"

"Oh Bella! What are you doing here?" My father's arms wrapped themselves tightly around me and his head bent down to rest on my shoulders. We felt each other's relief as we held each other, no words seeming adequate to voice the emotions that I knew both of us were feeling.

"I came to rescue you." I laughed at how silly that sounded.

"How did you..." A loud crash behind us cut him off, and even in the darkness I could see his face pale in terror. "We have to get out of here! Now!" He grabbed my hand, his touch unexpectedly cold and uncomfortable.

I wanted to ask him what was going on, but before I could get the chance another voice spoke, this one harsh and demanding. It had almost a monster quality to it. I knew instantly that this was what Charlie had been so terrified of on the phone earlier.

"Where do you think you're going?"

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**A/N: **And there you have it! Still like it? Please review and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight or it's characters. I just play with them.

**Summery: **When Bella's father goes missing, she is afraid, but determined to find him. She finds his police car in front of a presumably empty house. What she finds inside the house is not what she expects. She makes a horrifying deal with the 'beast' of the castle, trading herself for her father. Can she break a century's old curse and help a heartless 'man' learn how to love again? Darkward.

**A/N: **Sorry for the delay. This chapter was very hard to write. I wanted to get it just right, and I finally feel satisfied with it. Hope it doesn't disappoint! Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You make my day!

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**3.**

He lurked in the shadows as though he didn't want to be seen. It was impossible to determine how tall he was, but if his shadow was anything to go by, he was easily the most intimidating person I'd ever seen. I trembled at the sight of him even though I couldn't actually see him.

Charlie puts himself in front of me instinctively and cleared his throat. He was doing his best to appear unafraid, but the trembling hand placed protectively on my side told me otherwise.

"We m-meant n-no harm...He cleared his throat because his fear was causing to go up an octave. "W-We were j-j-just leav-ing." Charlie drew out the last word, sounding as though he had lost all his breath. He glanced at me from the side, a silent message to tell me to go along with him. He took a tentative step forward and I did the same. If anyone could get us out of this mess, it was my father.

I couldn't bring myself to look at the mysterious stranger despite my damned curiosity wanting to know how he would react to my father's words. I kept my gaze to the floor and decided I would read Charlie's body language to determine what the other man would do.

The...man?...inched toward us. I had the strangest feeling that he was trying to figure out the easiest way to shove us both down his throat. My heart picked up speed and my body heated up, as though it sensed the stranger's eyes roaming it, studying it. If I had to bet, I would've said the man's lips curled up in a hungry sneer. I pushed myself even closer to Charlie.

"Please...don't come any c-closer!" my father stammered. He'd taken his gun out of his holster and was now aiming it at the man in front of us. "I'll shoot!"

The man laughed. It was a deep, throaty laugh that was amusing and mocking all at once. "Go ahead then. I _dare _you." He leaned his face in toward us and smiled widely, showing his teeth. It wasn't a friendly smile, but a mocking smile. I frowned when I realized he was making fun of us. Taunting us.

I watched as Charlie hesitated. He looked torn between wanting to grab me and make a run for it or shooting this guy. I don't know where my burst of courage came from, but my hand moved to hold tightly to Charlie's wrist in a vice-like grip and I stepped forward a little so that my dad and I stood side by side. The mysterious stranger bore down on us. My movement seemed to set off his anger.

"That's what I thought." Then, through the shadows, he turned to me, and the dangerous look I felt him give immediately cost me all my resolve. I felt my legs tremble slightly. "You. Get out."

Charlie and I looked at each other questioningly, wanting to know who exactly he meant. When a moment passed and neither of us moved the man sighed impatiently and moved forward in one swift motion, though he remained careful not to step out of the darkness. His anger was getting worse with every passing second. _"You!" _he snapped, thrusting his finger in my direction. "Do you not have ears? I said get out!"

But the connection between my brain and my legs seemed to have severed somehow, for I did not make a move to go. Even if I wanted to, Charlie's death grip on my arm wouldn't have allowed me to.

"Don't speak to her that way!" Charlie exclaimed bravely despite the tremor of fear detectable in his voice.

The man took two steps back in shock but it was quickly replaced by anger. He acted as though he'd never been spoken to that way before. I immediately tensed up, expecting the worst. What would he do? Hit Charlie? Attack him? Attack both of us? Whatever bravery I felt earlier vanished instantly, and I stepped back behind Charlie in my futile attempt to try to remain as invisible to this strange man as possible.

"I'll speak to her any damn way I want to! This is _my _house and _you _are the ones trespassing! You're lucky I don't rip your throats out!" The man growled. Only it wasn't a growl. It was a yell that seemed to come from the very core of his being. The entire mansion shook as he made his feelings clear to us, and I half expected the place to crumble down around us.

To my horror the man cloaked in darkness turned to me. "If you wish to live to see tomorrow, you will turn around and leave this place and never return. I will not ask again."

Somehow I knew he meant every word. Yet my legs still wouldn't move. It was as though they had suddenly been given a mind of their own and no longer followed my command. Every ounce of common sense I had screamed at me to do as he said and run. Waylon and his men were on their way; even if I left Charlie alone as the strange man seemed to want me to do, he surely would be no match for my backup. Right?

Something told me that Waylon and whoever else came with him wouldn't be a match for this man. Or beast. Creature. Whatever the hell he was.

Charlie looked down at me with teary eyes. "It's okay, Bella. Go. I'll be okay."

His tears rooted me to the spot. Charlie never cried. Never. In my seventeen years on this planet I had never once seen my father cry. He once told me he hadn't even cried on the day I was born. He'd tried; Renee, my mother, had burst into tears the minute one of the nurses had put me into her arms. But when my mom gave me to Charlie, he'd been so overwhelmed with happiness that no tears seemed to come.

And then the truth hit me like a ton of bricks. The very thought of it sent tears to my own eyes, and I couldn't take my eyes off him. _He thought he was going to die. _He thought this mysterious, dangerous man was going to kill him and wanted to spare me the same fate. Moisture pooled in my eyelids, clouding my vision and I wiped them away angrily. Charlie was _not _going to die tonight. Not if I had anything to say about it.

"Please, Bella. Go," my father continued hastily when he saw that I wasn't moving. His eyes pleaded for me to do as he said. I was aware of the other man watching our exchange and sensed his growing impatience. I knew I needed to leave before he did change his mind and I became his next targeted victim. Then again, maybe I already was and this was all a rouse.

"This is your last chance," the man said, standing up to his full height in a silent way of letting us know that this conversation was over. He did not intend to give me time to think about this.

"No." I cleared my throat. Charlie wasn't going to like what I was about to do. I looked away from him and looked down, closing my eyes. I couldn't stand the look of utter disappointment he was about to bestow upon me.

"No? Bella, please..." my father began, but the mysterious man cut him off.

"Silence!" Then he turned to me, and I could hear the evil smile in his smooth, velvet voice. "Go on, girl."

I hesitated. This was it. I was about to make my bargain, and then it would all be over. Charlie was going to cry even more, tell me I was an idiot for doing what I was about to do. He might even drag me out the door and into his squad car, which would not be a bad thing. And, even worse, my instincts told me that this formidable man would not refuse my offer once I voiced it. So I took a deep breath and began. There was no going back after this. "I'm not leaving. I'm...staying."

"What are you talking about?" Charlie demanded. "Get out of here. Please." His voice broke at the last word.

I bit my lip. It was all I could do to keep my tears below the surface. I could not show weakness. "I-I'm not leaving. Not without you."

Charlie sounded helpless now. "Bella. What are you doing?" His voice was barely a whisper.

I couldn't look at him. I couldn't look at the man still shrouded in darkness. I couldn't look at anything except the floor. He would hate me forever for what I was about to do. There would be no retribution. No understanding. And definitely no forgiveness.

But before I could answer the man still enveloped in the shadows interrupted. "She is trading her life for yours." He probably hadn't meant it to sound enticing, but that's exactly how it sounded like. Even without knowing what he looked like, I could sense that he thought my offer was better than his.

The faceless man continued. "She is willing to sacrifice herself and give herself to me in the place of her father. How awfully brave of her."

I did not know why he was suddenly speaking in the third person, and I wished he wouldn't. It only made this situation seem even more dangerous than it already was. I'd been right earlier; he liked my idea better. And he wasn't about to let it go, no matter how hard Charlie pleaded with him. Oh God, what had I done?

Charlie's grip on my arm got tighter and I wasn't sure he was even aware that he had done it. He was in overprotective father mode now. "She is _not _sacrificing herself! Do you hear me? I won't hear of it!" He turned to me and put his finger underneath my chin, forcing it up so I had to look at him. When I did I discovered I was right. His eyes were full of disappointment. How could we ever look at each other the same way if we somehow managed to get out of this? He would never trust me again. God, I was such an idiot.

"That was her decision to make," the mysterious man barked, his tone commanding now and authoritative. Somehow I knew that he wasn't going to let us walk out the door. Me for sure. "She made it of her own free will. I did not force her. You may leave." He raised his hand and waved it dismissively, indicating Charlie and the door.

But Charlie wasn't moving. His death grip on my arm was now becoming painful, and I wasn't sure if the trail of tears leaking from my eyes was from the physical pain he was causing me, or the emotional pain I was bestowing upon him.

Probably both.

"I'm not leaving!" My father was borderline hysterical now. I had never seen him this way before and it was breaking my heart. Why couldn't he just leave? I had my cell phone and he had his. Even if he left me, we could communicate with each other and find a way to get me out of here. Why couldn't he see that? Why couldn't he see that this very dangerous man had made up his mind and that the only way both of us were going to remain alive was if he left me here. It felt like a knife stabbed me in the heart and I hated myself for thinking this way, but it was the only way we had. He had to see that.

"I'll give you ten seconds to get yourself in your car and off my property before I stuff both of you down my throats!" the man yelled angrily, still being very careful to remain in the shadows.

"Dad. Please," I whispered. My voice sounded alien to me now, and it disgusted me. How could I have done this to him? Why couldn't I have just kept my mouth shut and waited for Waylon? We'd all be out of this mess if I hadn't screwed everything up.

_But you know this was the only way, _the annoying voice of reason told me. _You know deep down that this beast of a man would've killed your father immediately and Waylon and his men are no match for him. Then you would be here alone and defenseless, and that beast would have no reason not to kill you and have you for dinner. You're doing the right thing. _

I scrunched up my eyes and shook my head, wanting that stupid voice to shut up. It wasn't the right thing. Doing the right thing always felt good. This felt very bad. Worse than bad. Awful. Abominable.

Charlie mistook my actions for regret, and he suddenly threw his arms around my shoulders and squeezed me tightly into his body. "Don't you worry, Bella," he whispered in my ear. I felt the moisture of his tears as they made contact with my cheek. I couldn't wipe them away even if I wanted to. "Waylon is on his way. I know you called him. Just hang tight. Don't forget that pepper spray I got you last week. If he does anything..._anything_...to you, use it. And run. I'llbe right outside waiting."

I was petrified that the man in the shadows had heard him, but I tried not to let my fear known. Instead I nodded once, trying to be indiscreet and stepped back so that Charlie could leave. The ten seconds he'd been given had long since elapsed, and I didn't want to give the strange man any more reason to jump him from behind than he thought he already had.

"I love you, Bells. Don't you ever forget that." Charlie's voice was like a person who didn't know how to swim hanging from a rickety bridge that only led to deep deep ocean. His deep sadness was my fault. I had caused it and I felt like shit for it.

I forced myself to look into his deep brown eyes- identical to my own- and couldn't control the tears that streamed down my face. "I l-love you t-t-too, Daddy." My voice was so quiet I wasn't sure if Charlie heard it. But I knew he did when his face scrunched up at the word I hadn't used since I was seven years old.

"All right," the mysterious man interrupted. "I've given you more than enough time to say your goodbyes. Now get out before I give you a reason to really be sad."

Charlie hesitated for a second more, looking as though he was fighting the urge to grab me and make a run for it. He mouthed 'I love you' quickly, then walked dejectedly from the room.

I could only hope that Waylon was almost here because I wasn't sure how long I would be able to hang on. I never hated myself more than I hated myself at that moment. How could I cause my father so much pain? Was I really that selfish that I would rather him feel completely helpless and abandoned than me? What the hell was wrong with me? Why couldn't I have just kept my stupid mouth shut? Why couldn't I be a braver person? I deserved to die. I deserved everything this mysterious, dangerous, abhorrent man was about to do to me. I could only hope that he killed me quickly. Then I wouldn't have to suffer this shame and heartache anymore.

I stood frozen in place, unable to move. I couldn't bring myself to look at the spot Charlie had just been in. If I did, I would break down. And I wouldn't be able to stop. The dam that was currently keeping my tears at bay would surely break and there wouldn't be anything I could do to fix it.

I could sense the man's eyes upon me. He was looking me over and probably deciding what to do with me. He probably had so many ideas he was trying to decide what to do first.

The dark room was now silent except for my increasing heartbeat. He had to hear it. It seemed louder than a heavy metal concert in my ears. Would it ever slow down? Not until Waylon and his men got here. Not until they and Charlie burst in here to kill this awful monster and rescue me. I felt so helpless. At least Charlie would've stood a chance against him. He knew how to defend myself. All I had was a meager can of pepper spray in my coat pocket. That wouldn't slow him down for long.

I began wringing my hands nervously. My breathing was short and ragged from my fear and the effort it took to suppress my sobs. The man remained in the darkness and he still hadn't made a move towards me. What was he going to do? Was he waiting until I wasn't on my guard and then attack me? Then I had the terrifying thought that he knew Charlie was still out there, waiting for his friend and partner to arrive. What if he was listening and was waiting for the moment when they all stormed in here so that he could rip out their throats while I watched?

_Get a grip, Bella. _The voice was back. _Have a little more faith in Charlie. _

I had plenty of faith in Charlie. But I also had the disturbing feeling that this man knew a lot more than he was letting on and wasn't the type to be caught off guard. The longer we remained out here, the more that suspicion grew.

Finally, when I was beginning to think he had forgotten about me, he spoke. "I'll show you to your room." His tone was softer now; less intimidating. My heart skipped a beat as it was caught off guard. What was he planning?

He turned around and made to leave the room, but stopped at the doorframe when he noticed I was not following him.

He sighed impatiently. "Are you coming?"

I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans as I gathered up the courage to answer him. "Y-Yes." I had meant to say so much more, but I didn't want to give him any more ideas. Maybe I would stand a better chance if he thought I wouldn't be prepared for whatever it was he was planning.

He waited for me, his shape merely a silhouette in the ever growing darkness, as I made my way tentatively towards him. I couldn't help but notice that he never made a sound when he moved, while I unconsciously made as much noise as a stampede. At least, that was what it felt like to me.

I followed his form out of the room and into a narrow hallway that led to a smaller staircase than the one I'd happened upon earlier. I slowed my steps a bit as he continued and I said a silent prayer to the heavens that he wasn't about to take me even farther up this massive mansion.

But my prayers were ignored as I watched him seemingly glide up the staircase, my face falling in both disappointment and nervousness. I didn't stop because I didn't want to make him any angrier, but I was secretly wondering to myself how Charlie would find me if I was locked in a hidden room in the deepest depths of this mansion.

He led me higher and higher into the castle, through one dank hallway after another. The farther we got the colder it became. I wrapped my jacket even tighter around my body, wishing I had been smart enough to bring another one. Even in the murky darkness I could feel the dust gathering everywhere. Several times I had to fight the urge to sneeze.

Just as I was beginning to wonder how much farther we had to go, his silhouette stopped at a rusty oval shaped door at the far right corner of this even darker, smaller, danker hallway than any of the previous ones. I shuddered when I realized that the door looked like the ones in medieval castles that led to the dungeons. Was I about to be locked in an attic-type dungeon? My spirits sank even lower than they'd previously been. Charlie would never be able to find me all the way up here.

The man took a large golden key from a pocket of his pants and put it gently in the keyhole on the door. I watched in growing alarm, wondering what horrors would be waiting for me on the other side.

A second later the man took the key out of the keyhole and shoved it back into his pocket. He then turned the doorknob and swung the door open, a deafening squeak filling the air as he did. He let the door swing as far as it would go. It stopped when it made contact with the inside wall behind it. The man stepped back and indicated with his arm that I should step inside. I swallowed nervously and didn't dare look at him as I entered.

The surrounding darkness made it impossible to see what was inside my new room. When I didn't hear any footsteps behind me I thought for one fearful second that I was going to be locked in the darkness. I swung myself around, fearing the worst. But I breathed in relief when the man stepped into the room and flipped a switch I hadn't noticed on the opposite side of the direction the door swung.

The light wasn't bright by normal standards. It was as dim as fading twilight, but since my eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness, it seemed as bright as the sun. When my eyes finally adjusted, I was finally able to see my surroundings. I was shocked by what I saw.

A giant queen sized bed rested in the far corner of the massive room that easily could fit my living room inside of it. The sheets looked to be made out of silk and were a deep red, the same color as the first staircase had been. A light brown oak chest of drawers rested a few feet away on the bed's left hand side, matching night table sitting between it and the bed. Across from the bed sat a dark brown wooden dresser with a large oval mirror on top of it. The walls were light beige in color with no posters or decorations except the two lamps that were on the opposite ends.

If this was meant to be a dungeon, it was the most comfortable looking dungeon I'd ever seen.

My body screamed at me to fling myself onto the bed so that I could get some much needed sleep but my common sense still had control of me and it told me to do no acts of vulnerability until I knew for sure that this man was going to leave me alone.

I turned around to face him, my surprise still etched clearly on my face. He stood there, standing just shy of visibility, but the dim light that illuminated the room reached just enough of him for me to see that he was wearing a plain white button up shirt with a pair of black dress pants. I still couldn't see his face, but his hair was longer than I had originally thought it had been, falling a few centimeters below his shoulders. It was a rich bronze color and it was clear it hadn't seen brush for years, at least. I found myself wishing I could see his face, if for no other reason than to know what my captor looked like. I wanted to know a real monster looked like.

"I know it's not much, but it will do. You will stay in this room until I come to collect you tomorrow morning. We can discuss our arrangement in greater detail then and we'll see about clothes, food, and whatever else you are going to need. In the meantime, you will not walk freely, at least not tonight. I know you have had a very trying day and you need your sleep," he said, his commanding tone returning with a vengeance.

I opened my mouth to argue with him, but he was gone and had closed the door behind him before I even had a chance to gather air.

_What the hell...?_

I rubbed my forehead and figured I might as well sit on the bed while I waited for Charlie and Waylon to get here.. Maybe I could even rest my eyes for a few minutes. I would be no good to anyone if I was too exhausted to see clearly.

I shuffled my way over to the bed and warily sat down, surprised by how comfortable it was. By now my exhaustion and my common sense were at war with one another, battling for what they wanted most. I sat impatiently as I waited for them to finish.

In the end my exhaustion won out and my body eagerly laid itself out on the bed, my head gratefully thanking me for the most comfortable pillow it had ever had the pleasure of laying on. I closed my eyes against my better judgment. Surely it wouldn't hurt to rest them for just a few minutes?

My muscles relaxed as I allowed myself to fall deeper and deeper into unconsciousness. Once in a while my brain would scream at me not to fall asleep. I needed to be ready for Charlie and Waylon. I was too deep into the castle for them to know where I was. Hell, _I _didn't even know where I was. Would I be able to find my way back?

That was the last thought I had before I fully gave in to my enervation and I entered the world of unconsciousness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight or it's characters. I just play with them.

**Summery: **When Bella's father goes missing, she is afraid, but determined to find him. She finds his police car in front of a presumably empty house. What she finds inside the house is not what she expects. She makes a horrifying deal with the 'beast' of the castle, trading herself for her father. Can she break a century's old curse and help a heartless 'man' learn how to love again? Darkward.

**A/N: **I had intended for this to get updated on Wednesday, but better late than never, right? In answer to **ammNIwriter, **for now this will be in Bella's POV, but there will be at least one chapter later on that will be from Edward's. Who knows, it might even be pretty soon! Anyway, please review. I love hearing what you guys think!

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**4. **

I didn't want to get up. Every part of me was screaming at me to stay still, to remain in bed. It was warm and smooth and comfortable. I didn't ever want to get up. But when the events came rushing back to me in one swift motion, I shot straight up, as though my mind was subconsciously aware that the strange man was in here watching me.

But one quick look around told me I was alone. Somehow I knew that if that man was in here, he would have made his presence known.

I wondered what time it was. Sunlight was streaming in through the window to the upper left side of the bed, but it wasn't bright. So it was early. Seven, maybe?

I knew I needed to get up to stretch my legs but I couldn't find it in me to get up. My entire being felt as though it would collapse from the enormous effort it took to even take a breath. Everything about this situation was horrible. Wrong on so many levels. The what-ifs pressed against my brain, making it feel as though I carried an extra six hundred pounds. My throat closed in and tears automatically welled up in my eyes as I thought about the worst what-if of all.

What if I never saw Charlie again?

I thought of his face, his smile, his laughter. His patient and loving manner when it came to parenting me. He'd had to be both mother and father to me and he made it look easy. And, more importantly, he never made me feel as though I lacked anything. Somehow, he made it work. As much as he could, at least.

And how did I repay him? I winced just thinking about it. I practically threw it all back in his face. I didn't deserve to call myself his daughter. I didn't deserve to see his smile again, or to hear him say 'I love you.' After last night, I doubted he would ever say that to me again.

If I ever saw him again.

Then the realization of last night came back to me. My heart clenched as I remembered the plan we'd silently made with each other. He said he was going to wait for Waylon, and then they'd fight their way back in to rescue me. It wasn't supposed to take too long. I was going to wait for him and help him find me since it seemed as though I'd been tucked into the deepest depths of this mansion.

But then I'd fallen asleep.

My hands balled up at my sides, and the strong urge to strangle something quickly overpowered me. I grabbed the sheets that still covered me and squeezed the life out of them. Was there nothing I couldn't fuck up? I'd been given a simple task of biding my time and waiting for them so I could help them get us all out of here in one piece.

But then an even more sinister thought occurred to me. What if they hadn't made it? What if the man in the shadows had caught on to our plan, found them, and killed them? What if their bodies were still here, placed somewhere obvious for me to easily find?

_Calm down, _my brain reluctantly reasoned. _You're being paranoid. This is just the fear talking. Charlie and Waylon probably acted sensibly and waited for the sunlight. _

It made sense. The man seemed to prefer the darkness since he kept his castle bathed in it, even during the night. Waylon and my dad were probably just waiting until they had that particular advantage.

I wouldn't let myself think about the other possibility.

I had to get up. I was feeling restless and jumpy, and staying in bed with nothing to do except wait for that scary shadow man to return seemed like a bad idea. I didn't like the idea of being alone in a room with him. Last night he'd left me alone, but he'd said I was tired and needed some sleep. Did that mean that he'd waited until today to start on whatever plan he had for me?

I was out of bed before I could think about it. I was still in my clothes from yesterday. My jacket was still hugging my body and I was grateful for it. It was much colder outside my bed. I wished I had a robe or another layer to add. Not just for the cold, but because of my ever increasing paranoia. What would he do when he found out I was disobeying?

I shuddered. No need to think about that now.

I made it to the door without tripping over anything. I was a huge klutz and finding myself in uncertain situations only increased it. Making sure I took extra care of my surroundings, I carefully opened the door and peered out into the hallway.

It was empty. The darkness claimed every inch of the place, claiming its territory. Though it was brighter than last night, it was still difficult to make out my surroundings. I tiptoed carefully along the corridor, past one closed door after another. My curiosity deepened with every step I took. What lay past these doors? What secrets did they keep? Did I even want to know?

I had no idea where I was going. Every corner, every crevice looked the same. There was no doubt in my mind that I would get lost. I wasn't acquainted with the castle. I'd been led through hallway after hallway in the dark by a man who refused to show me his face after I'd essentially traded my life for my father's. I hadn't exactly been in the right state of mind to be aware of my surroundings.

I tried to remember the way I'd been led through in reverse, but of course it didn't work. All I saw was a jumble of hallways intertwined and mixing together in a complicated, intricate pattern. As I slowly made my way through it, trying in vain to figure out the right way, I wondered absently why the man kept the place in the dark. Did he merely prefer it this way, or was there a reason? And why did he always stay in the shadows? Why did he hide his face? Did he just prefer to remain mysterious? So many questions that needed answers. They made my head spin.

Thoughts of Alice and Angela popped into my head, causing more tears to spring from my eyes. I thought of Alice's quirky behavior and Angela's quiet, loyal demeanor. Would I ever see them again? I yearned to see a familiar face. Even Jess or Lauren would be a welcome sight, just to convince myself that this nightmare I found myself in wasn't real. If I pinched myself, would I awaken?

No. It would be useless and pointless for me to even try. No matter how hard I tried to convince myself that the events of last night didn't happen, they did. No amount of self deception would ever suggest otherwise. I had to accept it.

_This is absolutely pointless, _I thought after some time passed. I wasn't sure how long, but it felt as though I'd been walking in circles around this place all morning. There had to be _something _that looked familiar. And certainly that staircase should be around here _somewhere? _

I run into something hard, causing me to fall to the floor in surprise. I blink when I realize it's a wall. God, what kind of idiot crashes into a wall? I manage to get up without making an even bigger fool of myself, grateful that the stranger living in this castle wasn't here to see it. I can see him making fun of me for it, and not in a light hearted way.

I was about to continue on my way when I noticed the door right beside the wall I crashed into. I'm not sure why, but something about this door is different. Not physically. Maybe my falling was some sort of sign. But whatever it was, I decided to give in to my overwhelming curiosity and peer inside.

My brain ran alight with the contents of this room. Floor to ceiling bookshelves covered nearly every available inch of wall space. Though the room was dark and it was difficult to make out what else was inside of it, I could easily notice that all the shelves were stacked with books. It wasn't the same library I'd happened upon last night, but this one was better. The room was bigger, less dusty, the furniture that I could make out through the darkness were not covered with sheets.

My legs drew me in further. It was as though the room had captured me in its hypnotic power, drawing me in against my will. I wanted to look at all the titles, find out what types of books a mysterious, reclusive man who holds people hostage in his massive mansion would want to read about. Standing in the middle of the room, my body turned in time with my head as though there was an invisible stand beneath my feet, twirling me around in circles. I couldn't decide where to start. My fingers were itching to touch the various volumes, the pull nearly uncontrollable.

Did I dare? I was alone, yes, but for how long? My time would be better spent trying to find a way out of here. I still had no idea where Charlie and Waylon were. Or if they were still...I grimaced, forcing the thought to the back of my mind. I couldn't think about that. It was too painful. But besides that, would _he _know I'd been in here if I just _touched _one of the books? One of the million or so that were in here?

Somehow I knew he would. And then what would happen? He'd made it clear last night that he didn't want me wandering. That meant he didn't want me touching any of his possessions. Would it be enough incentive for him to kill me? It was impossible to analyze the reasons behind his actions. To him, I was a prisoner. And prisoners didn't go roaming around.

Yeah, I was fairly certain I'd be in deep trouble if I were caught. I knew this, yet I couldn't get my feet to turn around and take me back to my room.

Rebellious Bella, the part of me I rarely ever let come to the surface, refused to be suppressed, and quite frankly, I didn't have the strength or the resolve to do it. I wanted to look at these books just as much as she did.

Oh God, I think I'm going crazy. What kind of sane person talks about different personalities as though they are different people?

I'll just look through one book and then I'll go. One book is harmless, right? The chances of him noticing that it would be disturbed are slim and none. This place was so large, he might not even come in here at all. So why was I still so damned worried? No matter of convincing could get me to calm down.

I took one cautious step forward, trying to remain as quiet as possible. My steps were much too slow for my liking, but I wanted to play it safe. I was certain I'd be killed if I were to be caught, and not figuratively. When I was close enough to a shelf that I could touch it with my arm, I raised my arm slowly, ignoring the shaking, and brushed my fingertip on the nearest spine.

The dust hadn't been noticeable until layers of it stuck to my hand as I gently slid a book out. I had no idea what genre I had in my hands. I supposed it didn't matter. Without thinking, I took in a deep breath and let it out on the cover, brushing all the dust off with my breath. The sound against the previous stillness sounded like a gust of wind, and I winced against the noise. Any minute now, my captor would burst through the door and demand to know why I was disobeying his orders.

"What do you think you are doing?"

See?

I whirled around, hiding the book behind my back in my feeble attempt to hide it. "I, uh..."

Despite not being able to see his face, I could feel him glaring at me. I gulped, preparing myself for whatever he was about to do.

"Well?" It was clear he wasn't about to let this go.

"I...um..." Why couldn't I get coherent answers to come out of my mouth? I imagined what I must look like to him; a fumbling idiot caught with her tail between her legs. The book felt heavy in my arms. I should put it down, but it felt like admitting defeat, and I wasn't ready to do that. "I got lost."

"I see." The smirk was evident in his voice. "So were you too tired to understand me, or do you have a natural aversion to not following simple rules?"

I tried to swallow the lump that was forming in my throat. This was it. He was about to kill me, and wanted to hear me beg for my life. He wanted me to suffer one last humiliation before I went. Was stealing my life in one way not good enough that he had to take it from me twice, only more permanently?

I shook my head fervently. "No. But I got h-hungry, s-so I went to f-f-find the k-kitchen," I stammered stupidly. I hoped my regret could be heard in my voice. It was the only thing saving me now.

He was silent for a long time. I imagined he was trying to decide what he was going to do to me. The longer he stood still, not saying anything, the more anxious I became. I couldn't decide what to do with my hands, so I alternated between wringing them nervously and running them through my hair. I'd long since given up pretending to be brave. He had never been convinced, so why bother?

Every time I gathered up enough courage to look up at him, all I saw was the bottom half of his body. From his waist up he was cloaked in darkness. I always immediately reverted my gaze back to the ground, not wanting him to think I was staring. Today he was wearing dark blue jeans that hugged his body generously. It was a bit surprising because I couldn't imagine a recluse like him wearing something as normal as a pair of jeans.

"Put that back." He pointed at the book I had hidden behind my back.

I jumped at his abruptness but did what he said and hurried to the shelf. I shoved the book back where I found it then returned to my previous spot. He stood as still as a statue as he- I imagined- watched me wait for his next order.

"I'll show you to the dining room and we can discuss our little...arrangement over breakfast." Then, with a quick wave of his hand to bid me to follow him, he turned for the door.

I quickly followed him, not wanting to do anything else that might set off his anger. Once we were both in the hallway he slammed the door shut and locked it with the same large key he used the previous night to unlock the door to the room I'd been giving. I assumed it was some kind of skeleton key. Without a second glance in my direction, he went down a hallway I hadn't gone down before, and right away I came across the staircase. If I'd been in my own home, or in a familiar place I would have slapped myself for not bring observant.

He led me down to the ground level and through another maze of hallways before unlocking another door, this one a rectangular cherry red oak door, and stood aside to let me enter first. I hesitantly did so, wishing I had a pair of eyes on the back of my head so I could know at all times what my captor was doing. I stopped just outside the door, my arms crossed, wanting to stay as small as possible. I had an unnerving fear that the man- whose name I still did not know- would come at me from behind, and I refused to be caught off guard.

I tensed up when he brushed past me, taking a seat at the elegant dining table I hadn't noticed before. This room, like all the others, was swallowed in darkness, making it impossible to get a good look at him. He took his seat at the head of the table, not bothering to look at me or make any indication that I should sit down. Did this mean I wasn't allowed to? Then why did he make me come all the way down? Did he bring me down here merely to keep an eye on me?

I wrung my hands, unsure what to do. If I sat down at the long, red wooden dining table, he would yell at me for taking liberties, and if I didn't sit down, he would scold me for not obeying his orders. My brow furrowed with indecision and I fought the urge to run from the room. I wished he would tell me what he expected me to do. It would make my life so much easier.

As though he heard my thoughts, the man shifted almost unnoticeably in his seat to face me. "You may sit down."

_Thank you._

I couldn't find my voice to speak, afraid as it was by this man who became more mysterious every minute. Somehow I got my feet to work, for they made their way to the leather hard-backed chair on the opposite side of him. I wasn't sure this was the seat he had meant me to take, but I wanted to be as far away from him as possible. I didn't care about the consequences that might follow.

It was only after I was seated that I realized there wasn't any food on the table. There wasn't even a plate. I could only find a simple candle placed carefully on the center of the table, looking as though it were only for decoration and not lighting.

The lack of food made me realize for the first time just how hungry I was. As if to prove my point, my stomach growled loudly. My cheeks burned red with embarrassment, as I'm sure the man sitting across from me heard it. That was confirmed when an amused laugh that was not my own filled the air.

_At least he's laughing. That might mean he isn't going to kill you just yet. _Unless he was so excited at the prospect of taking my life that it was making me giddy.

Then the single most horrifying thought occurred to me, knocking the wind out of me. _Maybe he intends _you _to be the meal. _

I could feel all the color drain from my face. I had remember how to breathe. My hands were shaking uncontrollably so I hid them in my lap. _Don't let him see your fear, Bella. It will only give him more power over you. _

My instincts were kicking into survival mode, screaming at me to not let on that I'm aware of his plan. The moment he thinks I'm not paying attention will be the moment he makes his move. That's when I'll make mine.

I remembered that my cell phone was still tucked safely into the pocket of my jeans. I forced myself not to let out the sigh of relief that was building inside my diaphragm. Charlie's number was on speed dial. The moment I managed to get away from him, I would dial it and pray that he was able to answer.

"You seem tense." My captor's soft voice broke the silence.

My face shot up, alarmed. "What?"

He laughed again. Did he find this funny? I fought the frown that was beginning to form. If he was going to kill me, he should at least give me the respect of not taking it as a joke.

"Are you afraid?"

Hell yes I was afraid! But I didn't dare tell him that. That would be the equivalent to handing him the small amount of power he didn't already have over me. Instead I shook my head once, not daring to speak.

"Yes," he sighed. "I gathered as much. You have very good reasons to be afraid. I'm fighting some rather strong urges right now, and they all include your rather messy death."

My eyes widened. So he did intend to kill me? My heart felt like a jackhammer in my chest. It was becoming more and more difficult to breathe. _Stay strong, Bella. Don't lose it now. _

"The good news for, however," he went on, seemingly unaware of my mental state at the moment, "is that I have a very strong control over my urges. You're perfectly safe here. For now." The smirk on his face could be heard in his tone of voice.

"I think it best to go over the ground rules now, before we eat. I want you paying _very _close attention and not getting distracted. You seem to have had difficulty listening last night." He paused for brief moment, and I used the opportunity to attempt to calm my rapidly increasing heart rate. My blood pressure was spiking through the roof.

"First off, there will be no wandering. Some of the rooms here are, shall we say, dangerous and wouldn't be suited for someone like you to happen upon. Secondly, you may have noticed lack of light here. It is dark for a reason. Perhaps I'll share that reason with you someday, but not now. The less you know the better." He paused again. I had the feeling that the last sentence was directed at himself and not me. I waited patiently for him to continue, not daring to interrupt. "You are not to go lighting the place up. You may be uncomfortable now, but your eyes will adjust to the darkness. The only time the mansion is completely dark is at night when the sun doesn't stream in through the windows. Eventually, depending on whether or not you behave, we can see about giving you some time outside, but for right now, you are to remain indoors at all times.

"You are restricted to the third floor. Your room is to do with as you wish. If you want or need any decorations or posters or anything to make it feel more like home, you can ask me and I shall get them for you. Feel free to use the library you were in earlier as you please. There isn't anything in there that I haven't read so I no longer have any use for it. Please keep all the books in the library. I don't want any of them to get lost. I'll be going into town later today to pick you up some clothes. You can't function from day to day in just one outfit. I, for one, will easily grow tired of looking at you," he explained.

I listened intently, soaking up every word. So far he hadn't mentioned anything that led to my immediate death. Of course, soon enough he'll grow tired of me and then he'll dispose of me, but he hadn't made any indication as to when that might be, and I wasn't going to bring it up.

I surprised myself by sitting quietly, letting him establish all these rules for me without interrupting and demanding to have a say in it. I knew my tremendous amount of fear had something to do with it, but a sick, sadistic part of me actually _liked _hearing his voice. How deranged was that?

I kept my hands folded in my lap. They were sweaty and I wanted to wipe them on my jeans, but I wanted to stay as still as possible. Any movement might set him off. My breathing was more controlled now, and my heart rate was finally beginning to slow down. Maybe he wasn't going to kill me. Unless this was all some ploy to catch me off guard.

"Do you have any questions?" he asked after giving me some time to process his information.

Slowly, so slowly I wasn't even sure I'd moved my head at all, I nodded my head. I guess I could live with them. I wasn't allowed to go outside or go wherever I wanted, but at least I wasn't restricted to my room. And the third floor was pretty big. Maybe even as big as my house.

My heart ached as I thought of the small white house I lived in with Charlie. How was he coping being there alone? I had to think that he was safe at home, or else I would go mad with the 'what-ifs' that were continuing to plague my brain.

I wanted to ask him if he had kept to his word and left my dad alone, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the answer. So instead I kept my mouth shut and sat still while he stood up, careful to remain in the darkness as always, and walked into the other room, saying that he would return in a minute. He was just getting me my food and I shouldn't get any ideas.

I fought the urge to run away, figuring that if he kept to his word and went out later to get me some clothes, I would have plenty of opportunity to run away then. So I stayed put and waited patiently for breakfast.

He returned not two seconds later and was putting dish after dish in front of me. Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, grits, toast, potatoes, and orange juice were all laid out delicately before me. My stomach growled again, impatient for me to start eating. I watched as the man resumed his seat and noticed that there wasn't any food in front of him. Surely all this wasn't just meant for me?

I opened my mouth, closed it, then opened it again as I tried to figure out if I should ask him why he wasn't eating. Was it my place? Did I care?

"Do you have a question?" The man asked, taking notice of my indecision.

"Um..." The stammering was starting again. Great. "...I was j-just wondering...if you were g-going to eat."

He laughed again, lighter than the last time. "No, Isabella. That's all for you. I ate earlier," he said, answering my unasked question.

I nodded as though I understood when I was actually more confused than ever. What was this guy's deal?

I ate as quickly as I could, not liking his exploring gaze on me while I shoved food in my mouth. I was sure I looked like an untamed animal with the desperation in my eating, but I was too hungry to care.

When I was finished he told me to go back the third floor. "I will know if you wander, Isabella."

I rolled my eyes but did what he asked. It was only then that I hadn't asked him the most basic question of all.

What was his name?


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight or it's characters. I just play with them.

**Summery: **When Bella's father goes missing, she is afraid, but determined to find him. She finds his police car in front of a presumably empty house. What she finds inside the house is not what she expects. She makes a horrifying deal with the 'beast' of the castle, trading herself for her father. Can she break a century's old curse and help a heartless 'man' learn how to love again? Darkward.

**A/N: **This chapter was a bit difficult to write, but I managed to have it come out on time! A hundred thank yous to those of you who have reviewed. I'm so glad this story has been well received! This chapter may get a bit angsty, but it's nothing too terrible. Bella's in sort of a depression in this chapter, but I urge you not to skip it. It's important to future events.

Also, if anyone is interested in becoming a beta for this story, please send me an email. I'm in need of one, as you may have noticed. And please don't forget to leave a review! I LOVE hearing what you guys are thinking! Hope you enjoy this latest installment!

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**5. **

If it hadn't been for my increasing nerves, I would have died of boredom.

I couldn't think about anything else except Charlie. As the minutes turned to hours, and I still hadn't heard from him, I began to fear the worst. By now he would have called or at least left me a text message. _Something _to prove that he was still alive and wasn't giving up. He would never give up until he got me back. That was simply his nature.

I'd never felt more alone than I did on that dreary afternoon. My cell phone remained disturbingly quiet. Not even Alice or Angela tried to call or text, asking me where the hell I was. It was unusual for me to miss school. I rarely ever missed. Whenever I was too sick to go to school, all I did was lay in my bed, bored out of my mind. Today was no exception. And being restricted to only one level of the mansion made it a hundred times worse.

I sat on the bed in the room I'd slept in last night, unable to call any of it my own. It didn't feel right, and it felt like I was giving up hope. I couldn't think of any of this as mine because I didn't want it to be. I wanted to be back in my own room, stressing over homework with my biggest problems being Mike's unwanted attention and Lauren's hateful attacks. I wanted to make Charlie dinner, hang out with Angela and Alice, and maybe even find a way to get Jess to like me again. At the moment I didn't see how any of that was possible.

My captor had told me I was free to explore the third floor so I was itching to go into the massive library I'd happened upon earlier. He hadn't left yet and I wanted him to unlock the library so I could go inside it. If escape was out of the question for now, I wanted to have at least _one _activity to occupy my time. Sitting quietly on this bed, staring aimlessly at the wall did not count.

I both yearned for and dreaded the moment I would hear the mysterious man coming upstairs. He'd told me earlier that he would let me know when he left to get me some clothes and other items I would need since I would be living here for who knows how long. I was trying to gather up the courage to ask him to unlock the door to the library. I hadn't asked for anything from him yet, so I wasn't sure how he would handle it. He didn't seem like the type to take well to being asked a request. He was so used to handing out orders. I wanted to explore the library in more depth to determine what sorts of literature he owned, particularly whether or not he owned a copy of _Wuthering Heights. _This torture would become hell if I was expected to survive without that particular lifeline.

I could feel myself slowly start to drift into madness. I wasn't used to someone having this much control over my life. Not even Charlie dictated where I went, what I ate, how I spent my time. He trusted me enough to let me do almost anything I wanted; I cooked dinner so if anything, _I _told _him _what to eat. And Charlie spent so much time at the police station that I made my own decisions when it came to what to do. Being treated like a punished five year old was not sitting well with me.

But what choice did I have? One wrong move and this guy would rip me to shreds. I was absolutely certain of it. He'd admitted to me his desire to kill me. If I did even the smallest thing to his disliking, it might set him off.

Distant footsteps broke me from my thoughts. My heart rate increased automatically at the prospect of having to come face to face with him again. Well, more like face to shadow, really, since he refused to show me his face. The footsteps grew steadily louder as he came closer and closer to my room. I contemplated hiding in the closet, but knew it would be pointless since he'd find me easily and know that I was still afraid of him. I wanted to show him that his presence did not bother me. He didn't have to know that it would be a lie.

The footsteps stopped when they were right outside my door. I braced myself for the sight of him, willing myself to calm down. _Remember, Charlie is just a speed dial away. _

I watched as the doorknob turned and the door was pushed open. A loud squeak filled the room, causing me to wince from it. I would have to ask him some day to get that fixed. He entered the room, taking a few brief steps but being careful to remain just inside the doorframe. If he was even one step closer I would have been able to get my first good look at him. I sighed. He was careful; I had to hand it to him.

"I'm going into town for an hour or so to get some clothes, food, and whatever else I find that will make your experience here more pleasurable. I want to stress to you that you are free to roam the third floor, but stay clear of the doors that are locked as well as any other level of the house. You may be tempted to run away, but I _will _know if you do. It will be too easy for me to find you, and you may find the consequences to be rather...severe." He paused, giving me time to process his explanation. I didn't dare ask him to elaborate on his last sentence.

"That being said, do you have anything specific you wish me to pick up for you while I'm away?"

I thought for a second, wanting something familiar I could cling to when certain aspects of my captivity got too stressful to manage. Unfortunately I could not think of anything, so I shook my head in disappointment. Hopefully he would go into town again if anything came to mind.

"Okay," he answered, not sounding entirely convinced. "If there isn't anything else, I shall be back soon."

He turned to leave when something suddenly came to mind. "Wait!" I cried out. I hated how desperate and fearful I sounded. But at least the stuttering stopped.

He stopped mid-stride and turned to face me. "Yes?"

I gulped then took a breath to answer, hoping I didn't sound too fretful. "Could you...possibly unlock the library?" I couldn't bring myself to look at him. Instead I kept my attention fixed on my shoes.

"You like books, I take it?" I wasn't sure if it was my imagination or not, but I thought I detected a smile in his tone. I frowned, caught off guard. Out of all the reactions I'd been anticipating, interest was not one of them.

I nodded once.

He chuckled, more to himself than to me. I sat on my bed awkwardly, not wanting to speak and hoping against all hope that he would say he would. He said I could go anywhere on the third floor, but what if the library was one of those rooms he would keep locked up and forbid me to enter?

"Yes," he answered finally, turning around again to leave the room. "I'll unlock it on my way out. Just remember to keep all the books there. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

And then he was gone.

I was alone.

_I was alone. _

Somehow I couldn't quite wrap my brain around that fact. It didn't seem real. My mind kept telling me that it was a lie; that my captor still lingered somewhere, watching, waiting for me to make a mistake. Could it really be this easy?

I waited on the bed, wanting to make sure he wouldn't come back. I didn't know how much time passed before I finally decided to stand up. I made my way cautiously to the door, still unable to believe that I was alone here. The corners of my lips turned up in a small smile. _I was alone. _

I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity, but I didn't know where to begin. There were so many things I wanted to do. So many things I _needed _to do. My first task was to find out if Charlie was okay. I leaned against the wall just to the left of the door and took out my cell phone. The man had forbidden me from going outside, but he hadn't said anything about using my phone. I wasn't entirely sure he even knew I had it, but I wasn't going to tell him any time soon.

I bit my lip as I dialed and pressed the phone to my ear. It was ringing. That was a good sign. But then, just as quickly, the connection was lost. I frowned and took the phone from my ear, checking the screen.

There were no bars. How could I have missed that? One would think that someone stupid enough to find themselves in the predicament I was in might have noticed that their current lifeline was not working. I could feel my blood boiling in anger, but I dialed the number again and went to stand closer to the window. Just in case.

But the connection was gone just as quickly as before. Should I go outside? Every instinct I had was screaming at me to run as fast and far away as I could since my prison guard was currently gone, but I had nothing except his word to guarantee that he would notice. He knew my name. He knew my father. He knew I lived in town. Forks was a very small town. If he didn't already, he could easily find my house and snatch me back before I even had time to blink. Something about this guy was...different.

Somehow I knew he wasn't bluffing. And I definitely did not want to do anything to set off his anger. Although I hadn't seen it yet, I knew he could get very angry very quickly. I still didn't know what he'd done in my father's presence to warrant the amount of fear Charlie had when he called me. I didn't want to know. Yet the desperate desire I felt to go outside, breath in the fresh air, and possibly get out of my prison gnawed at me and wouldn't stop until I gave in.

I zipped up my jacket and pulled the hood over my head. It wouldn't help my deep-seated longing to become invisible, but at least it would ward off some of the chill of the manor. Slowly I eased out of my room, feeling like a spy. I glanced about the hallway nervously, my phone still clutched tightly in my hand, wary of any secret cameras he might have installed because of his absence. I wouldn't put it past him to do.

It was impossible to make out any shapes apart from the occasional wall lamp, painting, or table in the suffocating darkness, and in the end I would just have to risk it. Even if I did manage to get away, he would notice immediately. It was useless to put up any kind of pretense.

I was careful to remain quiet, not wanting to disturb anything. I was the biggest klutz out of anyone I knew, and one wrong move could ruin everything. I refused to turn on any light for fear of my nameless prison guard finding out. I was breaking big enough rule already. I didn't need to add to my already hefty list of offenses.

It was easier to find my way through the castle now. After being guided earlier to the dining room, I had a better understanding of the layout. Finding the staircase was no longer a challenge. The challenge was gathering up the courage to descend it.

In the end I managed. Once I did I actually had a difficult time stopping. My feet seemed to remember the way to the front door. How could I have forgotten? My hand gripped the doorknob with a fervent desperation I'd never felt before. This was it. Do or die. No turning back now. Go!

I turned the doorknob swiftly and yanked the door open, the cold air attacking my face. I closed my eyes, unprepared for the gust of wind. Normally I would despise this sort of weather. Now I wanted to soak it all in and never let it go.

I stepped outside, reveling in the fresh air, breathing it in as though my life depended upon it. I no longer cared if _he_ found out; this felt great.

Charlie's police cruiser was no longer parked outside. My spirits lifted somewhat. That meant he got away. My orange truck wasn't there either. Had Charlie driven it back? I didn't want to think about what else my truck's disappearance might mean.

When I was done getting re-acquainted with the outdoors, I dialed Charlie's number once more. My heart fluttered with hope upon hearing the first ring, but then it immediately disconnected, the little voice telling me the number was no longer in service.

_The hell...?_

I tried again, unwilling to give up. Charlie's number was too in service! He used it for work as well as personal calls. I couldn't see how he would get rid of it now, especially with me being in the clutches of some mysterious shadow man who scared the shit out of him.

To my dismay, the voice informed me once again that the number I was dialing was no longer in service. I sighed, my frustration beginning to get the best of me. What the hell was going on? Why wasn't my father answering his phone? He had to know that I would call him. I _needed _him. If he wasn't answering, that meant only one other scenario. And I wouldn't admit it. I couldn't. I'd fall apart if I did, for that would mean giving up hope. Hope was all I had. It was the only way I would find the strength and courage to get out of here.

I walked deeper and deeper into the woods, dialing and redialing Charlie's number. I alternated between using his speed dial and actually punching in the numbers. Neither one proved to be successful.

Tears stung my eyes, both from my desperation and the cold air surrounding me. I pressed on, unable to turn around. I had to get out of here. I had to find Charlie. If he wasn't answering his phone then something bad happened to him. The thought that he might be in the woods somewhere, unable to get help was too much to think about, but I knew if that was the case that I needed to find him. Before it was too late.

I didn't dare look behind me. The sight of that isolated castle no longer amazed me, but repulsed me. I hated everything about it, right down to the very last candlestick. Let the creepy resident of that castle kill me. It was better than being trapped; better than being his prisoner.

I don't know how many times I called his number. My fingers began to hurt from punching the numbers on the keypad so hard. I imagined my ear was red from pressing the phone to it so hard, but I didn't care. I wouldn't give up until I heard his voice. I _had _to know that he was okay.

I'd never felt so alone in my life. There wasn't a soul apart from Charlie and possibly Waylon who knew where I was. The thought alone scared me enough to make my legs tremble. If something were to happen to me, no one would notice. Yes, Charlie and Waylon knew I was missing, and it was only a matter of time before Alice, Angela, the Gruesome Foursome, and everyone else at school took notice of my indefinite absence. But how long would that take? I could be long dead by then. I shuddered, and not from the cold.

Eventually I stopped trying to call Charlie. I'd call Alice instead. I had no reason to believe that anything had happened to her over the night, so unless she forgot her phone at her house or turned it off, I should at least be able to leave her a message. That relieved some of my anxiety.

Not much.

It rang three times before the same automated voice as before told me that the number I was dialing was no longer in service. I fought the urge to throw my useless phone as far as I could and let out a loud, ugly scream. Some of the birds in the trees flew away in fright.

I cried. I cried and cried and cried. What the fuck was going on? What did this mean? Was this the real reason my captor had gone into town? Did he intend to kill everyone I loved so that I couldn't rely on them to escape? I hated to even think it, but I knew there was a good chance that Charlie might be..._dead. _I winced at the very thought. But Alice? How could he even know about Alice? Unless he was some kind of perverted spy who kept tabs on everyone in town, he couldn't possibly know about her.

I wanted to call Angela next, but I knew deep down that it would prove to be just as pointless as calling Charlie and Alice. That annoying little voice would tell me that her number was no longer in service either. It would just be a waste of precious battery life. All I had was two bars. I'd be lucky if it lasted the next three days.

Sniffling, I carefully slid my phone back in the pocket of my jeans, no longer wanting to look at the useless thing. If I couldn't call anybody, what chance did I have? I was stranded, isolated, quite possibly in danger, and I could not call anyone for help. More tears fell down my cheeks as the full extent of my hopeless situation finally occurred to me. There was nothing I could do.

I kept walking, subduing my sobs so that I remained as quiet as possible. Bears, wolves, and all sorts of dangerous wildlife resided in these woods. I heard about them enough on the news; some unlucky hiker being mauled to death by these animals flashed through my brain. The fact that I didn't care startled me. Did I really consider an attack by an animal better than being killed by that mysterious, shady man back at the manor?

I didn't know which one would be better. I couldn't decide which would be quicker. Neither seemed an appropriate choice. I suppressed another sob as I thought about Charlie and what must have happened to him. If he was alive he would've come for me by now. I would've seen him, heard him, noticed his commanding presence somewhere. He would not sit idly by and wait to figure out the best course of action before barging in and rescuing me. He'd told me so on numerous occasions.

But that also begged the question: where the hell was Waylon? He'd told me the previous night that he was on his way. Unless something happened to him as well, he would have burst in and immediately start a search. The fact that neither had so much as left me a message scared me more than even being here. They simply would not have left me alone here.

The deeper I ventured into the woods, the colder it became. I shivered, wishing for the umpteenth time that I had another jacket or sweatshirt to put on. I shoved my hands in the pockets of the flimsy jacket I was wearing in a feeble attempt to keep them warm. I was freezing, but there was no way in heaven or hell that I was going to go back to that godforsaken castle. I'd rather freeze to death than even consider going back.

I'd never before thought about what it would feel like to be deserted in the dense woods. Every blade of grass, every tree looked ominous and weary. Every stick sounded like a bell to alert danger to my presence. There was no shelter to hide in; nothing to offer sustenance except for other living creatures such as worms and rabbits. I was suddenly very grateful for that plentiful breakfast I'd eaten earlier. It would be some time before I would have to worry about that.

Staying invisible proved to be impossible. I had to settle for remaining quiet, watching my every step so that I wouldn't trip or walk on a loud twig. Animals that lived in the woods had a keen sense of hearing. They could also sense fear.

I could no longer see the castle when I craned my neck to look behind me. It both relieved and terrified me. I was away, but I was also lost. I had no idea which way was north and which way would lead me back to town. I had the alarming feeling that I was leading myself deeper into the woods, not away from it. Perhaps I could find my way back if I was desperate enough. I hadn't made any drastic turns or decisions.

The tears continued to stream down my face. I couldn't make them stop. Never before had I felt so helpless; it was a feeling I wasn't used to. I refused to close my eyes and give in to the rasping sobs I was currently keeping at bay because if I did, I would see the mental image of Charlie my traitorous brain had designed. In it, he was laying on the ground in the front of the castle, right beside Waylon, his lifeless body nothing more than a mass of broken limbs, gore, and blood; his eyes open, cold, and brute. They stared at me, taunting me, telling me not in so many words that this was all my fault.

The image scared me and brought even more tears to the surface. I could see the truth in my father's dead yet accusing stare; this was all my fault. If I was a better daughter- one who followed orders- none of us would be in this situation. Waylon and his team would have done their job, find him, and brought him home. And my biggest problem would be finding a way to fend off Mike's fruitless courting.

_Why couldn't you be a better person, Bella? _The mental voice in my head screamed at me. _Why couldn't you have been a better daughter? You deserve this. You hurt Charlie. You hurt Waylon. You hurt yourself. You don't deserve to be free. You deserve whatever that faceless man does to you. Being killed would be merciful because then you would be back with Charlie and Renee. _

Shut up! Shut up! I rubbed the tears from my eyes furiously, unable to see anything except white in my fury and desperation. Charlie was not dead. He couldn't be. I would know if he was. I might be a horrible daughter, but I was his horrible daughter, and if he was dead I would have been able to feel it. All reason told me otherwise, but I didn't believe it. Charlie was strong and well trained. It wasn't in him to be attacked like any other helpless victim.

I continued my hike, needing to get as far away from that despicable place of darkness as I could before _he _returned. In the end it would probably be ineffective, but I had to feel as though I tried. I needed to know I was good for something.

Had an hour passed? It felt as though it had been at least four since I came out here. My legs were beginning to hurt, my breathing was becoming more labored, and my hands were becoming numb. My fingers felt as though they'd been gripping an ice cold glass for hours. It hurt to flex them. My face was flushed, both from the cold air and the tears from earlier. I hadn't noticed that I'd stopped crying. It didn't feel that way. I still felt as awful as before.

I wanted my truck. I wanted to be out of this cold weather. If I turned around now, would I make it back before my nameless captor? I hated the thought of returning, but I didn't think I would last the night. Judging from the overcast white clouds, it would probably snow tonight, and someone dressed as I was would be lucky to escape the inevitable hypothermia.

I checked my phone again. No missed calls. A wave of despair rushed over me again, but I didn't try to call anyone again. What was the point? Charlie probably wouldn't answer anyway. The disappointment I had seen in his eyes...

I blinked the image away. _Don't dwell on that right now. You need to focus on getting out of here. _

The problem was that everything out here looked the same. All the brooding trees, every branch, every patch of grass matched those I'd passed earlier. There were no trails this deep into the woods either. There was nothing to show me the way back to town. Going the way I was would only lead to more dangerous things. If I was scared now, I would become petrified once the sun went down and the night creatures came out to play.

I ventured forward. I couldn't bring myself to go back. The man would be back by now he'd probably already noticed my absence. I hadn't been very discreet in remaining as subtle as possible. I'd probably left a fresh trail for him to easily follow.

Then something different came into view about sixty yards ahead. It looked like some sort of animal. Was it a deer? It was lying in a patch of grass, the darkness of the animal contrasting the light shade of fallen leaves on the ground below it. I held my breath as I approached, not wanting to make even the slightest noise that might startle it.

I continued on with caution, not able to take my eyes off it. When I was about thirty yards away from it, it was clear that the animal wasn't a deer. It was a bear.

Even though it was laying down it was easy to see that this bear was huge. If it had been standing it would have towered over me by about two or three heads. Its eyes were closed and its mouth hung open slightly. My brow furrowed at the strange sight. Did bears usually sleep in the middle of the afternoon? Its paws lay peacefully at the bear's side. When I was ten yards away- as close as I dared to come to it- I noticed its chest for the first time.

It was still.

But even more troubling as that was the small yet noticeable puddle of blood that had trickled from the large gaping wound at its neck.

The bear was dead.

I covered my mouth and nose with my hands to keep out the smell. My heart started hammering madly in my chest. It was a ghastly sight, yet I couldn't tear my eyes away from it. Fresh tears leaked from my eyes again. I couldn't make my legs move. They were frozen in terror. What kind of monster lived out here that would attack a bear like that?

That was the last thought I had before I fell to the ground. My body couldn't take any more. It was shutting down.

I'm not sure if I actually lost consciousness or if I had entered a sort of dream-land between sleep and awake. I had no idea how much time had passed. I wasn't even fully aware of the cold set of arms picking me up carefully and hugging me tightly to an even colder, stone chest. All I was aware of was the blur the world had become as the sensation of flying through the cold air overcame me as I was whisked away to a destination unknown.

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**A/N: Next chapter will be in Edward's POV. Should be up sometime next week. Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight or it's characters. I just play with them.

**Summery: **When Bella's father goes missing, she is afraid, but determined to find him. She finds his police car in front of a presumably empty house. What she finds inside the house is not what she expects. She makes a horrifying deal with the 'beast' of the castle, trading herself for her father. Can she break a century's old curse and help a heartless 'man' learn how to love again? Darkward.

**A/N: I cannot thank you guys enough for all your wonderful reviews! As promised, Edward gets to share his story now. It may get a little dark and angsty in places, but it's nothing too awful. Please don't forget to review! **

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**6. EPOV**

I had resigned myself long ago to the fact that I was doomed to live a solitary life.

I thought I would be okay with it. I'd never been one for large groups of people. In my long life I'd come across many different personalities; some of them genuinely interesting, others absurdly boring. I always got along with them well enough, but I always preferred my time alone. I liked time to reflect, to think, to enjoy activities without the constant interruption of others.

But I never thought I would end up like this: Cursed, alone, and unloved. It was a fate I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. There were nights where I'd shut myself up in my bedroom and stare out the window into the unchanging scenery below. I heard it all. Every wind gust, every flutter of the leaves, every sway of the tree branch. They were music that filled my ears with their sweet song. Every now and then I would hear a bird sing, and in my unending loneliness I imagined it was meant for me, a soft melody that filled my ears with its lovely tune.

I never meant to end up like this. Living like a monster, to be looked at in horror, be feared above all others was a fate worse than death. I yearned for death at times. At least with death comes peace, or at least that's what I chose to believe.

I own no mirrors. I cannot bear to look at this thing I have become. Not person nor animal, but an even worse, abhorrent hybrid. I'm a creature of the fairy tales, the monster to slay at the end. Not the hero or the knight in shining armor. The villain. The dragon. The _thing_.

I am a creature of darkness. I thrive in it. The time of day without the sun is when I am at my best. I can hear everything, see more clearly. All the best prey is out at night. It's all a game, and I live for it.

But it all changed when I saw _her. _

She was everything I'd ever wanted in a woman before I became this ugly creature. Beautiful, intelligent, independent, and strong. Very strong. Giving up one's life in place for someone she loves is no small feat. It takes someone with an unending supply of courage to be able to sacrifice herself like that. I truly admired her, even if I couldn't show it.

Though why anyone would stick up for that fool of a police chief, I'll never know. The guy had no right to be inside my home in the first place. He'd said, as he was making his way through the manor trying to discern if anyone lived there, that he was investigating certain deaths he thought might've been caused by wild animal attacks and wanted to know if anyone lived here and/or had seen or heard anything suspicious.

The idiot. Why couldn't he have left well enough alone? But I decided to have my fun. After all, it wasn't every day dinner turned up quite willingly, unknowing that they were about to have their lives cut short.

When I did finally confront him I made quite a dramatic entrance. He was cornered in the dining room, me blocking the only way out. He had his gun raised and was shaking as though caught in a blazing snowstorm. I knew what he was looking at immediately. The focus of his attention as well as his obvious fear were both a dead giveaway and I fought the urge to kill him then and there.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you it was rude to stare?" I snarled at him, all hints of intended pleasantries now gone.

I step forward, and as I do so, the policeman takes an automatic step back. His gun is still pointing at me. His hands are shaking as his pathetic attempt at bravery is evaporating. I can see his face clearly despite the surrounding darkness. His eyes are wide and can't focus on anything. Instead he is looking everywhere at once, trying to determine where the most impending amount of danger will be. His lips are a mere straight line, quivering slightly.

_Oh god he's gonna kill me, oh god, I think I'm gonna have to shoot. What if I miss? I never miss! What if I do? Oh god, Bella! _

The man's thoughts are a chaotic mess. I roll my eyes. I can't be bothered to conceal my agitation. Why do they all think the same thoughts? Can't someone be original for once? It's all so expected and typical that the game cannot even be _fun _anymore.

I continue forward.

_Oh god, please, let me get through this, for Bella. Let me see Bella one more time. Please! If you get me through this I'll cut back on the cholesterol! I'll do more around the house! Anything!Please, just let me get out of this! For Bella. _

I raise my eyebrows somewhat, wondering disinterestedly who this Bella was that my prey seemed to care for so much. It didn't matter. In a few moments this man would be dead and then he and those he cared about would be nothing but a mere memory.

"St-st-stop!" The policeman managed say. I did, but only to make this a little more interesting. Just to make him believe that maybe he had a chance.

"Stop?" I asked sarcastically, my voice raised an octave higher. "But we were just getting to the good part."

And then, I don't know how and I'd rather not dwell on it since it's quite embarrassing for me, he got away.

Of course he did not escape the clutches of my manor- an artiface itself because of it's size and the many traps I've laid out-but he knew how to evade a tracker. His trail was easy to follow since the scent of his blood was absolutely enticing, but if he wanted to make this more interesting, than by all means I let him have his fun.

His scent circled the bottom level, from the dining room to the kitchen, living room, study, and parlor. Then it trailed upstairs to the second floor. My keen sense of hearing picked up his heavy breathing and thundering heart. He was panicking.

The closer I came to him the stronger his thoughts became. He was still worrying over Bella, whoever she was, and desperately searching his brain for an escape plan. I smiled to myself as I continued to follow his scent around my home. He wouldn't be finding escape. Not if I had anything to say about it.

His voice, though soft and barely inaudible to human ears, came in loud and clear from the second floor library. My brow creased in wonder. _Who was he talking to if it were only him and I in this house?_ The answer came to me before I'd even reached the end of my thought. Of course. It was the year 2011. He, like everyone else in the world today, had a cell phone. He was making a call. Or trying to, as the case may be.

Little did he know that this manor was not meant for calls. I was a man of the late nineteenth century. I was not accustomed to the present technology that had taken over the world. Landscapes that had once been beautiful were now tarnished with cable lines, radio towers, etc. It's not to say that I've never used this technology and don't approve of it. I have. And some of it is quite convenient.

"Bella! Thank God! I'm stuck up in the forest and I can't escape!" He was borderline hysterical and the person on the other end could tell. I could easily hear her on the other end even though I wasn't anywhere near the phone.

_"Dad? What's going on? Where are you?" _

So Bella was the policeman's daughter? Interesting.

"No, please, Bella! I'm stuck somewhere deep in the forest and I need you to get help! It's in the forest just outside town. Please! Get help, Bella!" He exclaimed. He sounded on the verge of tears.

Enough of this. As much as I wanted...needed...more blood, I couldn't have this girl gathering a search party. People would be aware of this man's disappearance from town soon enough. If they found out about my mansion, it was over. Yes, I could take all of them easily, but slaughtering an entire town was not the best way to avoid the Volturi's detection.

I intentionally knocked over a nightstand in the corner of the upstairs hallway. Gravity pulled it to the ground with a loud thump. The flower vase shattered into a million pieces. I regretted the action somewhat, but once I stepped over the mess I'd made, it was forgotten.

He was in an empty bedroom on the second floor, pushing himself into the farthest wall right beside the window. When he noticed me he pressed his cell phone between his left shoulder and ear while he aimed his gun at me once more. His hands were shaking now more than ever. I grinned.

"No! Please...don't...!"

I rushed toward him, wanting to frighten him further. My quick movements startled him enough to cause the phone to fall to the floor. The dial tone told me that his call had been cut off.

The damage was done. But, if this went well, I would have at least one more human on their way over. I hadn't indulged myself on dessert in quite some time.

My stomach was already thanking me.

"I must thank you, Chief Swan, for sending your daughter...Bella, is it?...my way. She'll make for interesting...sport."

My words didn't mean the same thing to him as they did to me, and his eyes widened as he thought he understood.

_Not Bella! Like hell you're touching her you disgusting, sick fuck! I'll die first! Not Bella!_

"P-Please!" Swan stammered, trying to build up his courage. "Leave her alone. Take me instead!"

"Oh I plan on taking you, Chief Swan, don't worry. This will just make things even more fun."

I was determined not to let him out of my sight again. If Bella came, as I fervently believed she would, I didn't need her father finding her first and hastily sending her away before I got to her. If the father's blood was this scintillating, I couldn't wait to smell the daughter's. My mouth watered at the very thought.

I'd had over a century to learn to control my cravings, but it was taking all my self restraint not to jump this man then and there and drink him dry. His blood called to me in a way I hadn't experienced for many, many years. I stood as still as a statue, my eyes focused on Swan, my arms crossed behind my back. My head was lowered slightly, but not enough that I was looking at the floor. I guarded the door and stared at Swan, daring him with my eyes to try and get past me.

The color had long since drained from his face. His arms are starting to droop from holding his gun up for so long. Every time he notices he brings them back up. Somehow he knows that it won't do him much good against me, but it brings him the illusion of safety. The corners of my lips turn up at the thought.

A gun comforts him.

He frowns a little at my apparent amusement but he doesn't dare ask what I'm smiling about.

Night falls before I finally detect a new scent. It's too faint to determine if it is indeed someone new or just a shift of the wind. Sometimes when the wind gets heavy it will take various scents of random people throughout town with it. I never take my eyes off the policeman in front of me, but all my attention is now fixed on the outdoors. In a few minutes I will know if Bella has found us.

It takes less time than that to learn that there is someone just outside the front door. It's a girl, judging from her voice. She has to be Bella. She mentions her father, Charlie Swan-chief of police and the frantic phone call she received from him. Her worry is quite evident.

I yearn to be closer to her so I can smell her. I can barely contain myself to this room. If I ran to my full speed I could be outside, grab her, and be back in this room before Swan even had the chance to blink. Then Swan could look at his precious daughter one more time before I pressed my teeth into her tender flesh.

_No, Edward. Remember yourself. Be patient. _

By now Swan was squirming. He's unsure of what's going on since I haven't made a move in quite some time. His arms have fallen to his sides, but he hasn't put the gun away. He's resting so that he won't be tired later should he need to get Bella out of here. I want to tell him it isn't necessary. I can anticipate his every move even before he can. But of course that would only give him some of the advantage. He would start to anticipate even further.

"Go out into the hall."

My voice caused the man in front of me to jump. He stared at me questioningly, the fear never leaving his eyes.

I rolled my eyes in impatience. "If you want to live you will do as I say. Go into the hallway. Now!"

He didn't have to be told again. He rushed from the room, holstering his gun. I watched him go, waiting for him to discover the visitor wandering around just outside.

Perhaps I was a bit cruel in this little game, but I wanted to give them time with each other. I wanted Swan to see his daughter and know that he was the one who had brought her here. To me. I wanted him to know what he had done.

Their voices floated in and swam around me. It had been so long since I'd listened to any conversation. They both sounded as though they genuinely cared about each other. I hadn't expected any less.

Just as Swan was telling his daughter to leave, I left the room, making as much noise as possible.

_Oh shit oh shit, he's here! I need to get Bella out of here before he notices her! I won't let him touch her! Please God, please get us out of this! _

Swan's thoughts were growing more panicked and chaotic with every word. When I saw the two figures at the end of the hallway my appetite increased dramatically. Swan had positioned himself in front of Bella. His arms were wrapped protectively around her stomach. Bella stood directly behind him. I got the sense that she was trying to make herself invisible. Silly girl. As if I wouldn't notice her with her delicious scent.

Delicious didn't do it justice. She was...appealing in every way. One whiff of the blood coursing through her veins was enough to make me want her then and there. My body was shaking with the amount of effort it took to keep my feet firmly planted on the floor.

I kept to the shadows, not wanting this girl to see me. I'd never hidden myself from a victim before since it had never mattered what I looked like to them. They were always dead not even a minute after looking at my hideous face and brutal scars. Their revulsion never bothered me before because it simply hadn't mattered.

But this girl...she was different. I had never wanted to taste a human as much as I wanted to taste her right then and there, game be damned. Her blood called to me, demanding me to drink it. She'd been made for me; there wasn't a doubt in my mind about that. God had sent her here as my reward for being so patient. I had, at long last, found the very thing that would satiate my hunger, my desire.

So why in hell did I restrain myself? It's a question I would ask myself many times. Why didn't I just drink her blood and stop thinking about it? Why was I torturing myself so?

The only answer I could come up with was that I didn't want to be rid of her so quickly. I wanted to make her last, and I knew that once I started, I would not be able to stop. Only the very old vampires with an everlasting amount of self control would be able to stop.

And besides that, even if I did stop and left her with only half of her required amount of blood, she would die on me anyway.

But I knew that wasn't the real reason why I stopped myself. I didn't know the real reason. All I knew was that she was mine and I was not about to let her go.

~o~

The girl had inherited her father's bravery.

I'd initially meant to kill Bella and have her father watch before I, too, killed him, but her plan was so much more enticing. Without being asked, forced, or told, she'd announced that she was willing to put herself in the place of her father. Swan and I had both been shocked. There she stood, a small, vulnerable little thing with nothing to offer except herself.

I could hear her arguing with herself. She was wondering whether she was doing the right thing. I watched in earnest, interrupting when I had to. Charlie wasn't pleased with her decision. Not at all. He begged and pleaded with her. I interrupted when I had to. He wanted both of us to change our minds, but neither of us were willing.

I allowed them a minute to say their goodbyes, then sent Swan away. I'd heard the words he'd whispered in Bella's ear so I knew what he was planning. I decided to show Bella upstairs to her room, choosing one at the very top of the mansion in a well hidden corner so that it would be difficult for her to find the way out. As I led her deeper and deeper into the castle, my instincts screamed at me to drink her while I had her alone. Every rational part of me screamed to stop fighting it and just kill her and be done with this. What good was she going to do living here? All she was going to do was tease me relentlessly until I gave in to my needs. Unless I decided to use her for housekeeping purposes, she had no use here.

I told her to stay in her room until I came for her in the morning. She was absolutely exhausted so I doubted that she'd run off on me. I could hear her thoughts as I left her room and closed the door. It seemed her mind was lecturing her just as much as mine was lecturing me. She was currently deciding whether she should wait up for her father or take a few minutes to rest.

I left her and went downstairs. I pulled open the front door, nearly running into a very surprised Swan. His eyes were glistening with tears that he furiously wiped away when he saw me. He immediately reached for his gun, but I was at his side before he had the chance to.

"Listen to me," I said softly, so softly that I wasn't sure he could hear me. He glared at me. His thoughts screamed at me, sounding as furious as he looked.

_Let her go you sick fuck! I should arrest you! I should _kill _you! How dare you take my Bella, my baby! How could she sacrifice herself? How could she put herself in danger like that? I won't let him go anywhere near her! Once Waylon gets here we'll take care of this mother fucking bastard! Hold on, Bella. I'm not going anywhere. _

"Charlie, listen to me," I repeated, grabbing his arm to stop him from taking out his gun. He flinched at my touch as though he would get hives. If he was surprised that I knew his first name he didn't show it. I ignored him and continued. "I know what you're thinking. I want to assure you that your daughter is safe here. But that can easily change if you try anything stupid. So before you go off and play the hero, I want you to think about Bella. You can try to barge in and rescue her, but I assure you that it will end badly for both you and her. So take my advice. Get in your squad car. Go back to your house. And forget you were ever here."

"I will not!" Swan exclaimed, his face turning a brilliant shade of red. "Let my daughter go. Please! She hasn't done anything to deserve this! Please take me instead."

I sighed. It was clear he was past listening to reason. Maybe he would respond better to threats.

"Let me make this absolutely clear. Either you leave, now, or she dies. Can you understand that?"

He gulped. _Do I believe him? He doesn't look like he's lying. But I can't leave Bella here! What kind of father would I be if I left my daughter here with this psycho? If anything happens to her, I will _never _forgive myself!_

"This is your last chance. Leave. Now."

I half expected him to rebel further. Part of me wished he would, only because my restraint from drinking Bella's blood was wearing thin, and an excuse to drink it might be enough to push me over the edge.

But, to my surprise and dismay, he nodded wearily and hesitantly started walking to his car. I stood in front of the door, blocking any last attempt he might make to go rescue his daughter. I watched as he despairingly got into his car and slowly drove away. I caught one last glimpse of him wiping his tears away with a handkerchief.

He would be back. Of that I had no doubt.

~o~

My hunger was becoming unbearable. I had to feed. But I couldn't bring myself to have the girl. Her blood called to me and wouldn't let go of the hold it had on me, but I couldn't go up to her room. Her wide, surprised eyes stared back at me in my head as I mentally advanced on her, my mouth open in anticipation.

I could hear the bloodcurdling scream she would undoubtedly make as I exposed my sharp fangs to her. She would know what was about to happen and be powerless to stop it. I couldn't imagine what her blood must taste like. I tried to think about the most pleasant experience I'd ever had, but even that didn't seem to do it justice.

Animal blood wasn't nearly as satisfying as human, but it would have to do. I couldn't risk going out into town in daylight and picking up a random stranger. It would draw too much suspicion, especially after what had occurred between the police chief and I.

Luckily the forest surrounding Forks was full of prey. There were plenty of deer, but I needed something bigger. Something that would satiate my hunger for a week if I was lucky. I still had no idea what I was planning on doing with Bella, but I didn't need the added distraction of the scent of her blood to taunt me.

I ventured into the forest during the early hours of the morning while Bella was still asleep. So far she hadn't woken and I was grateful. I'd spent up my energy dealing with Charlie. I didn't need to deal with the added drama his daughter would surely bring.

By human standards I was deep into the woods when I finally found my pray: a large black bear. It hadn't noticed me yet. It was looking for food of its own. I crouched, ready to spring when the opportunity presented itself. I hid behind a tree, feeling foolish for the pretense. If the bear saw me it wouldn't matter. It wasn't as though it would be able to get away from me.

I decided to count to five and then pounce. I grew impatient by 'three' and decided to just end it.

I felt better by the time I returned to the mansion. So much so that I decided make breakfast for my captive. She would be hungry when she woke up and I knew that if I didn't give her food she would go out looking for some. I waited until late morning before I went up to collect her.

I found her, not in her bedroom, but the library. She tensed up, looking petrified when I made my presence known. I wanted to chastise her and punish her for not following the directions I had given her the previous night, but thought better of it and instead led her downstairs to the dining room.

Her eyes went wide when I set the plates of food in front of her. I knew she hadn't been expecting it. I told her I was going into town to get her some clothes and other supplies since I still didn't know how long I was planning on keeping her here. But I knew she would be uncomfortable with only one set of clothes to wear each day. Besides that, if I were completely honest, I would also get tired of looking at her.

Well, that wasn't necessarily true. Bella was beautiful. An exquisite sight to behold. If I were still human I would not have even considered keeping an angelic creature like her here against her will.

I still refused to show her my face. I couldn't bear the repulsion and fear that would cross her delicate features. I didn't want to see the disgust she would show me. I'd rather her be afraid of a faceless man than ever look at the result of a curse gone horribly awry.

When she was finished eating I told her to go back to the third floor, warning her not to go outside and that I would know if she did.

It didn't take long to gather up some clothes, shoes, undergarments, a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, a notebook, pen, and some books. She hadn't requested any specific items so I just got some of the basics. When I returned I noticed immediately that Bella had disobeyed me yet again and went outside. Her scent was all over the place. And it led directly into the forest.

I wanted to scream in frustration. What was it with this girl and not following rules? I hadn't thought I was being too unreasonable in my requests. Didn't she know I was only thinking of her safety? She was a local girl; she of all people should know about the dangers that lurked in the woods.

I was the least of her worries.

I dropped my items on the ground and ran into the forest for the second time that day, letting Bella's scent guide me to her location.

When I found her she was on the verge of unconsciousness, sprawled on the ground just a few feet away from the bear I'd killed that morning. I sighed, torn between irritation at her disobedience and regret that she'd seen the dead animal.

I picked her up carefully, pressing her tightly into my chest and ran out of the woods, letting the familiar feeling of the air rushing past us engulf me, fill me. I wanted all negative thoughts to leave me. I wanted to erase the past twenty four hours out of existence. Was that so much to ask?

I stopped once I was in front of my lonely mansion. Bella hadn't stirred; she was shivering against the cold and muttering incoherently under her breath. I couldn't tell if she was asleep or just out of it. No doubt the shock of the dead bear still claimed her.

The reasons for my absence forgotten on the ground behind me, I carried my prisoner back inside the mansion, hoping that by the time she woke up, the urge to kill her would leave my thoughts forever.

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**A/N: So. How did you like Edward? He's lived alone for so long that he has forgotten how to interact with others. Especially humans. At this point he still sees them as food. If all goes according to plan the next update will hopefully be by Friday. No promises though. Please don't forget to review! Your encouragement really does help!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight or it's characters. I just play with them.

**Summery: **When Bella's father goes missing, she is afraid, but determined to find him. She finds his police car in front of a presumably empty house. What she finds inside the house is not what she expects. She makes a horrifying deal with the 'beast' of the castle, trading herself for her father. Can she break a century's old curse and help a heartless 'man' learn how to love again? Darkward.

**A/N: I cannot thank you guys enough for all your wonderful reviews! Sorry this chapter took a while. It was very difficult to write. Bella just wasn't cooperating. This chapter is slightly shorter than the others, but I think the content makes up for the length. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Hope everyone is doing something fun, unlike me who has to work. Reviews make my day! Please let me know how you think it's going!**

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**7.**

I'm laying on a cloud.

Everything around me feels soft and warm. I feel like a child lost in her mother's comforting embrace. I'm aware that I am awake, but I wish I wasn't. I want to go back to sleep, to the the land of dreams that will take me as far away from this place as possible.

But then all the memories come rushing back to me at full speed. The woods, the hopeless feeling of being lost and abandoned, the bear...my eyes snap open at the the last memory..._the pair of cold arms. _

Does that mean what I think it means? Did _he _somehow find me? Somehow I know the answer is yes because if it wasn't, I would still be out there, lost and freezing to death.

Part of me is surprised I am still alive. Then again, how would I know if I was dead? He'd made his expectations of me very clear. I was not to go outside. I defied him by brazenly opening the door and wandering into the forest. I mentally kick myself for doing so. Now that I'm warm and comfortable I realize just how stupid that was. I'm lucky the only thing I found out there was a dead bear.

Tears cloud my eyes at the memory. I can't help it. I'll never get that gory image out of my head for the rest of my life. It's lifeless eyes stare back at me accusingly. I blink and push the image to the back of my mind.

In the distance I think I hear footsteps. My heart immediately picks up speed. This is it. He's going to kill me for sure this time. I look frantically around the room, sorry that this will be the last sight I will ever see. But it's not like I can do anything about it. I'll just have to make the best of it.

The footsteps gradually become louder and louder. They are slow, determined, and deliberate. He knows I'm listening. He wants me to be afraid. He wants me to suffer.

I am definitely suffering. I'm hanging in suspense, unsure what fate is about to deliver me. Haven't I been through enough? My captor would say no. Of this I am certain. I disobeyed him by going outside. He expressly forbid it, and I did it anyway. If I begged and pleaded for my life, he would tell me I deserved whatever he decided to do to me. Crying would be useless. Except for an added amusement for him, crying would do no good.

The footsteps stop just outside my door. I brace myself and wait for the door to burst open and for my captor to demand an explanation. I've tried to come up with a story that might sound acceptable, but I haven't been able to. Something tells me it would be useless anyway. All I have now are my quick thinking skills and a can of pepper spray. Neither of which will do me much good.

When the door does eventually open, it is slow and mechanical. Almost dramatic. I watch in horror, my heart pounding at an alarmingly quick rate. I feel as though at any moment it will burst out of my chest. The footsteps sound like a death march. Each one brings forth a new pang of fear. I look around in a last desperate attempt to find a way to escape, but it's no use. There's no use.

I am trapped. And there isn't a damn thing I can do.

He steps in carefully, avoiding the light as always. Somehow his presence is more sinister. More terrifying. I want to move but my body is paralyzed. My legs feel like giant bricks cemented down to the bed. The very sight of him sends my body into fearful shivers that I can't control. The end of my life is very near. I can see it now. And it doesn't leave this room.

He stops a few feet from the doorway with only his face cloaked in darkness. Even if I could see it I wouldn't have dared to look at it. He's like Medusa; one look will turn me to stone. I keep my gaze fixed on the bed. The bed is safe. At least for now.

"You're awake, I see," begins the man, standing as still as a statue. I try to read the emotions in his voice, but he is keeping them hidden. He talks with the slight air of a businessman, unwilling to tell his greatest sell.

I don't answer. I couldn't even if I wanted to. Instead, I wait for him to go on.

"It was a very foolish thing you did, Isabella. I told you on a number of occasions not to go outside, and yet you did it anyway. Did it ever occur to you that I had good reasons for keeping you here, or did you just let your rebellious nature get the best of you?" He asked, still not sounding angry. He sounded more like an interrogator trying to get the truth out of his unwilling suspect.

I shook my head once, sure the sound of my thundering heartbeat could be heard easily.

"No? Speak up Isabella. I cannot read your mind."

Now he sounded almost amused. My surprise made me look up at him for the first time. I could feel my forehead scrunched up in confusion. When I dare look up into the darkness covering his face, he loses his patience for the first time as he exclaims, "Now, Isabella!"

My breath caught up in my throat. I suppressed the urge to cough. He would most likely only see it as stalling, and I cannot afford to anger him further.

"Um..." I begin stupidly. My words get lost somewhere between my brain and my mouth. I struggle to find them. What happened to the pitiful excuses I'd been trying to think up? They've deserted me and left me to find a way out of this on my own.

I chance one more look at him. His stance has changed. His arms are now crossed and his weight has shifted to one side. He looks like he wants to tap his foot at his impatience. Somehow I know he won't say anything else until I explain.

I begin again. "I, uh...I guess I just wanted to...you know, feel like I still had..._control." _

"Control?" the man speaks up. He laughs once and I immediately look down, ashamed. I don't want him to say anything but I can't muster up the courage to ask him to stop. Not that he would listen to me anyway. "Control over what?"

I shrugged. I don't want to continue. "Control over my own life."

There. I said it. I held my breath as I waited for his reaction. He'd probably find it silly. I know I did. I felt silly for even thinking I would ever have control over my life again. Nothing would ever be the same.

"You wanted to feel in control so you went out into the forest full of wild, dangerous animals where god knows what could've happened to you?" He didn't sound convinced. He went on before I could say anything else.

"No, Isabella. I don't believe that. You were trying to escape. You saw an opportunity and you seized it. I don't necessarily blame you. I would have done the same if our roles were reversed. But I _must _make you comprehend how dangerous doing so was for you. You're lucky _I _got to you before one of those wild animals. _They _won't be nearly as merciful as I am," he said, growing bigger and more dangerous with every word he said.

I cowered and shrank back as far as the bed allowed without falling off. I'd promised myself before he came in that I wouldn't show any more fear, but that went down the drain the moment he came into the room. Now I just hoped if I appeared pathetic enough that he would decide to spare my life. I didn't care how low that made me. I was now in survival mode.

"So what do you think I should do with you?" my captor went on. He uncrossed his arms and raised one to cup his chin, the other going down to rest on his side. He looked like he was mocking me, pretending to think about what kind of punishment he wanted to inflict on me.

I didn't dare answer him. I didn't want to anger him further. Somehow I knew that nothing I said would make any difference. I just hoped nothing he decided ended in death.

"Do you have anything you wish to add?" he asked. I could feel the intensity of his stare as he glared down at me.

There were about a million things I wanted to add. I wanted to tell him he could go to hell for everything that he'd cost me and Charlie. I wanted to tell him I was sorry that he had gotten to me before the wild animals had. But I kept my mouth shut. I didn't need for my captor adding insult to injury.

"Nothing? Well, I hope you have learned your lesson, Isabella. From now on I'll be keeping a closer eye on you. If you so much as even go _near _the third floor staircase I'll know before you can even blink. In fact," he added in a cursory manner, "I'm going to make you _so _busy that you won't even have time to _think." _He added emphasis on the last word.

My next words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. "Busy with what?"

"Cleaning. I've let this place become far too dusty and dirty. It's been needing a good tidying up for some time now. I think this task is perfect to keep you in your place. I'll give you the rest of the day to rest, but starting tomorrow you're going to get to know the mop and duster quite well."

Seeming pleased with himself, he turned and made to leave the room but before he could leave I exclaimed, "Wait!"

He turned, looking surprised. I was surprised too. Where had this newfound courage come from?

"Yes?" he asked, the hint of impatience laced in his tone.

"I...well, I was just wondering..." I paused, hoping he wouldn't get mad at my question. "I was just wondering what your name was."

He laughed. It was strange to hear it. I frowned in confusion. Why wasn't he getting angry at me for asking questions that were not any of my business.

"I am sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Edward."

And then he was gone.

~o~

Edward kept to his word. I spent a good portion of the following day dusting the third floor, vacuuming, sweeping, rearranging furniture. At one point, when I'd thought I was finally finished with everything he had set out for me to do, he returned with instructions to take out every book in the library, dust them, and alphabetize them by author. He'd laughed at the astonished look on my face, but told me that there would be no dinner until I completed it to his satisfaction.

But, I had to admit to myself as I was performing this mundane task, it was a better punishment than I'd anticipated. I was still breathing, and he had left me alone as far as sex was concerned. I was surprised, but I wasn't about to question it. For all I knew, he was just waiting until enough time passed for me to believe nothing would happen. And then he would strike.

I tried not to think about that. It only increased my fear tenfold. I was living with enough of it as it was.

Being busy with chores also kept me from thinking about my failed phone calls. And the only logical reasons for them.

Now that the shock had worn off, the pain had taken its place. I couldn't think about Charlie, Alice, or Angela without feeling the stabbing pain of thousands of different emotions. Regret. Remorse. Guilt. Sadness. Anger. About a thousand more. They all flooded me to the point where I almost passed out because of them. Somehow _he...Edward..._had gotten to them. It was the only reason why I was still here, trapped in this massive prison with nothing to show for it.

Charlie was...I couldn't bring myself to finish the thought. If he were still alive, he would have come back for me. He probably wouldn't have even left in the first place. But I supposed it was all water under the bridge now. It was no use holding a grudge.

For the thousandth time since coming here, tears clouded my line of vision. Pain and sadness went hand in hand nowadays. Thinking of the life I left behind brought them on before I could stop it. I did my best to stop them before they turned into sobs, especially when I heard Edward coming up to check on me.

He didn't come up as often as I'd originally thought he would. He came up once every couple of hours, mostly just to make sure I was still here. Every so often he would tell me that he wasn't concerned about my potential flight risk since he was convinced he would know if I tried. I was too afraid to ask him whether that was just a scare tactic to make me behave. It didn't really matter, because it was working.

At the moment I was in the middle of alphabetizing the library, a task that was turning out to be quite tedious and time consuming. At first I'd been thrilled at the prospect of a large library to occupy my time. Now, on the other hand, I was sorry for it. I hadn't eaten anything since the rather pathetic breakfast earlier that morning of a small bowl of oatmeal and a glass of water, and was now yearning for even the smallest portion of food to satisfy my empty stomach. The last time Edward came up to check on me, I'd gotten quite close to blurting out the question that had been plaguing my mind all day: when were these chores going to stop?

But my resolve had disappeared the moment he entered the library. Instead I swallowed my words and went back to my job.

I don't know how, but eventually I managed to finish the alphabetizing. I sunk into a blue plush armchair and wiped the sweat from my forehead. For how exhausted I felt, one would think I'd just run a marathon. I contemplated seeking out Edward to tell him I finished, but thought better of it. I wanted a moment to myself that did not involve cleaning or Edward's looming presence. It was nice to at least pretend to have a small amount of freedom.

But that fantasy only lasted about ten minutes. Without warning, the door to the library had burst open. I spun around, surprised. But what was even more surprising was the sight before me.

Edward stood in the doorway, his head leaning down as he looked at the floor, expecting to find me in the spot I'd been in while doing his ridiculous task. But the small amount of light emanating from the hallway cast him in an unexpected light, letting me see a small amount of his face for the first time.

He had a heart shaped face with surprisingly soft golden eyes. At leas that was what they looked like in the dim light illuminating them. But even more astonishing than his eyes was his face. My mouth turned down into an 'O' shape as I stared wonderingly at him.

His face was bombarded with scars. There were two rather large ones that stuck out the most; one from his left eye to his jaw, and one from the edge of his hairline to his nose. His nose looked as though it had been pressed on by an iron, and the left side of his lips were curved upward slightly by what looked alarmingly like stitches. I gasped without meaning to and brought my hands up to my mouth in surprise.

My gasp brought his attention over to me. Judging from his angry glare, he knew I'd just seen him.

_"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" _he roared. I immediately began trembling and started cowering away from him. I had never seen him this angry.

_"I ASKED YOU A QUESTION!"_

A cry escaped my lips, and more tears fell from my eyes. He'd moved away from the door so that his entire body was bathed in darkness. There wasn't any indication of where he might be in the room.

"I...I f-finished!" Was all I could get out. I was suddenly very aware of the cell phone in my pocket. If worse came to worst, I would call 911. Surely _that _number was still in service?

_"You finished?" _His tone was a dangerous mixture of mocking and angry. But at least he wasn't screaming anymore. _"Why didn't you come get me?"_

More tears ran down my cheeks but I didn't dare wipe them away. Instead I let them fall and tried to answer the best I could.

"I...I d-didn't know I c-could l-leave the th-third floor," I whispered. I wanted to look at the floor, but I still didn't know where he was in the room, and my survival instincts were telling me to find him before he made himself known.

"You should not have seen what you just saw. And because you _insist _on not following my rules, you will go to your room without dinner. Tomorrow I will give you an even more extensive list of chores for you to complete, and if you don't follow _every _instruction to a _tee, _you will find that the consequences will be even _more _severe. Do you understand me, Isabella?" he asked, his voice filling the entire room.

I choked down a sob as I nodded helplessly. "Yes."

"Good. Now go to your room."

Feeling like a scolded five year old child, I did as he said and quickly exited the room. I could feel more than hear him behind me, following at a brisk pace. I wanted desperately to try and make a run for it, but the thought of pissing him off even further made me think twice.

I opened my bedroom door and hurried inside, not daring to look behind me to see if he was going to follow me inside.

Instead he simply slammed the door shut, a loud click telling me he'd locked me in. _Great._


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight or it's characters. I just play with them.

**Summery: **When Bella's father goes missing, she is afraid, but determined to find him. She finds his police car in front of a presumably empty house. What she finds inside the house is not what she expects. She makes a horrifying deal with the 'beast' of the castle, trading herself for her father. Can she break a century's old curse and help a heartless 'man' learn how to love again? Darkward.

**A/N: I'm terribly sorry for how late this chapter is. Bella refused to let me into her dark world. This chapter does get somewhat angsty in the beginning. Bella locked in a room with only her thoughts does not make for happy times. You all seemed to react strongly to Edward's appearance. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. As always, I love hearing everyone's thoughts. PLEASE let me know what you think! Your feedback lets me know how well (or bad) you think the story is. Please leave me your comments. That's all. Hope you like the next installment!**

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**8. **

I think I'm going crazy.

I can't seem to think of anything except food, my father, and escape. My mind is like a record with only those three songs playing again and again. Sometimes the three mingle and turn into one giant, complicated remix of thoughts that I can't get to go away. I think the lack of nutrition is toying with me. My stomach will sometimes interrupt with hideous growls, reminding me- as if I could forget- about my insidious hunger.

As I lay on the bed I stare up at the ceiling, trying to find shapes and patterns in the little bumps as a way to pass the time. Edward hadn't said how long I was to stay locked in my room, but if his deep-seated anger was anything to go by, I'd say it would be a while before I'd have any new scenery to look at.

I did make a promise to myself while I laid in that room with nothing to do. I would never take advantage of food again. I sounded somewhat pathetic to myself. It wasn't like I'd gone _days _without it, though that was the direction I was headed in. I had that bowl of oatmeal earlier that morning. I wasn't exactly starving. And I'd gone a day without food before, mostly when I was depressed or sick. But never on anyone else's terms. This was a first.

Every now and then my thoughts would drift to Edward and his face that he was so desperate to keep hidden. Was that the reason he kept the castle so dark? He certainly went to great lengths to prevent me from seeing it. Not that I couldn't blame him. I don't mean that in a nasty way; if I had a scarred face like that, I wouldn't want people seeing it, either. He was self conscious about it. If his presence didn't elicit such strong reactions out of me, I might have thought it was cute.

The big bad monster had feelings.

Another growl escaped my empty stomach. The hunger was becoming painful. I'd learned somewhere that once you became hungry enough your mind would refuse to focus on anything else in its strange way of forcing you to eat. I'd never believed it until now. Now it demanded me to eat something; in delusional state I imagined my body was turning against me, plotting to throw me to my feet and walk itself to the kitchen, rules be damned.

I can't say I wasn't tempted. More than once I thought about risking what little leniency Edward had granted me by going downstairs and fixing something. Part of me wanted to test his bluff anyway. He'd made it clear to me on more than one occasion that he would know if I left the third floor. Unless he had secret cameras hidden _extremely _well and watched them nonstop, I didn't see how he could know.

But every time the thought occurred to me the rational side of me told me not to defy him any more than I already had. I could not afford any more screw ups. He'd unintentionally showed me his face. His scarred, horrifying face. Part of me was surprised he hadn't killed me earlier in the library. He had more than enough motive. Why hadn't he done it?

Then the irrational part of me, the one who refused to give in to this mysterious, dangerous man, liked the risk. Reveled in it, as a matter of fact. If he planned on killing me he would have done it already. The rest is just a scare tactic. He wants to break me and get me to fall in line. That's all. I want to believe that there is nothing to be afraid of, but the truth is that I can't. There _is _something to be afraid of and his name is Edward.

My stomach lets out another loud growl. The awful empty feeling has taken hold and refuses to let go until I get some food in my system. I think about the last bit of food I'd eaten earlier that day and do my best to remember the taste. By no means was the oatmeal the most delicious breakfast I'd ever eaten, but I knew that if I didn't eat something soon, I would think that _grass _was the best food ever.

I mull over my options in my head. If I risk everything and go downstairs and am caught, I will be dead for sure. If I go downstairs and am successful, then I will have a full belly and better chances of enduring whatever trying tasks he sets out for me. But if I stay here and do nothing, I would have risked nothing, have an empty stomach, and be completely miserable.

It didn't really seem like much of a choice.

But only fools don't learn from their mistakes. I'd tried defying him before and look where that got me. He'd found me in an incredibly short amount of time. He'd found me after I collapsed, picked me up like I was a rag doll, and easily found his way back to the mansion. He was obviously familiar with the land out here. If the sight of the dead bear bothered him he hadn't shown it.

Had he followed me? That was the only logical explanation for how he found me so quickly. I don't remember how long I'd trekked into the forest, but I'd gotten pretty deep into it because the sight of the intimidating castle had completely disappeared from the view. If I'd been more of an outdoorsy girl and knew the forest better I might've had a chance to find my way back to town. I made a mental note to familiarize myself better with the land should I make it out of this alive.

But, then again, the logical, reasonable part of my brain told me that if he'd wanted to kill me, he would've done so long ago. I'd been pretty damn out of it when he'd found me out in the woods. He could've snapped my neck and I never would've woken up.

_Damn, Bella, stop being so morbid. _

Still. He'd had plenty of opportunities.

I sighed. I was feeling much too restless to sit here and dwell on this any longer. I stood up from the bed and began pacing. Every time I faced the door my gaze fell upon the doorknob. My eyes narrowed and I fought the urge to kick something. I wanted to scream as loud as I could, but that would only attract Edward's attention. The last thing I needed was him coming up here and yelling at me some more. But the desire was too damn strong.

Without really thinking about it, I stormed over to the bed, grabbed a pillow, and snapped it to my face, pressing it as tightly to my mouth as possible as I screamed for a good ten seconds as loud as I could. Thankfully the the sound was muffled or else the whole of Forks would've heard. Not that that would be a bad thing. But again, Edward came to mind and the awful thought that he would find a way to prevent them all from coming to my rescue wouldn't go away.

When I'd gotten as much frustration out of my system that was willing to go, I slowly brought the pillow away from my face but didn't let it go. I held it loosely in my hand, but it fell to the floor as my knees gave way. I dropped to the floor with a loud thud, but I was too far gone to register any pain. The fall seemed to unlock the sobs that I'd been fighting so hard to suppress.

These sobs were nothing like any of my earlier ones. Before, despite all the good reasons I had for crying, I'd still had hope. Now, the reality of my situation seemed to finally sink in.

Charlie wasn't coming back. If he was, he would've done it long ago. Which meant he was dead.

I was being held prisoner by a psychopath.

I was being spied on by the same psychopath.

I was kept in the dark.

I was locked in a room.

I was being starved.

I was forbidden to go anywhere.

I wasn't being given any straight answers.

I was confused as hell.

And somehow, I didn't see any of this changing.

My sobs grew louder and harder. My body was nearly convulsing with the weight of them. I was probably attracting attention to myself, but I no longer cared. Let Edward come get me. Let him put me out of my misery. What did I care anymore?

~o~

When I opened my eyes I found I was still on the floor. The pillow was still in the same spot I'd dropped it. My cheek stuck to the hardwood floor when I tried to raise my head. My eyes burned from the tears I'd shed earlier. I didn't remember falling asleep, but I supposed I'd grown exhausted after my gut-wrenching sobs. I rubbed my forehead, which was pounding. My arms and legs were stiff from the awkward position I'd slept in and my lungs felt as though it had forgotten how to breathe correctly.

It wasn't until I opened my eyes wider that I realized I wasn't alone.

A figure was sitting casually in the desk chair in the far corner of the room. I jumped and scrambled as far away from him as possible. He'd been careful to conceal his face in darkness, but there was no forgetting what I'd seen. I only stopped when my back hit the wall. More tears threatened to come to the surface, but I used all my self control to fight them down. He would _not _see me as weak. Not anymore.

I waited for him to speak first since I was unsure of his intentions. I brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms tightly around them, curling myself into a makeshift ball. Part of it was for protection and part of it was wanting to make myself as small as possible so he'd leave.

We stayed like that for some time, though I don't know how long. He sat so still that I wasn't exactly sure he was even awake. But every time the thought occurred to me he would make a very slight movement that reassured me that he was, indeed, awake.

I fidgeted nervously, feeling his intense stare on me. His eyes felt like x-rays that were seeing me to my very core. It was unsettling to say the least. What did he want? Was this yet another way to try to break me? If it was, it was working. Every defiant thought abandoned me in an instant. I was too worn out to move, too wary to even think about the outside world. Right now, the only people were Edward and I, and the entire world consisted of just him and I.

"Are you ready to behave?" His voice sounded as though they came from the walls, causing me to jump in surprise. I brought my knees closer to my body in a feeble attempt to protect myself. As if.

"Hmm?" he pressed on. It was clear he expected an answer.

I gulped, hoping my voice would come out strong. "Y-Yes..."

I trailed off. I'd been planning to elaborate, but the words got lost somewhere between my brain and my mouth.

"I see." Edward paused for a moment then continued. For some unexplainable reason I wanted to see his face again so that I could have some indication what he was thinking. "But you surely must understand the way I am seeing things. You have broken nearly every promise you've made me, defied me on more than one occasion, lied to me...among other things. However, against my better judgment, I have decided to give you another chance. I've been doing some thinking and I realize that maybe I was wrong in my previous treatment of you." He paused and sighed impatiently. I held my breath, waiting for more, not daring to get my hopes up. "Would you like to come downstairs? You must be hungry."

That was putting it mildly, but I wasn't about to complain. He stood up from the chair and took a few steps toward me. I instinctively turned away, reluctant to take him at his word. Was this a trick? I wouldn't put it past him.

To my great surprise, Edward held out a hand. It was close enough to me that I could see that it was very pale. Nearly white.

I opened my mouth but quickly closed it. I couldn't make it obvious that I was staring. That was one of the reasons he'd locked me in here in the first place.

Slowly, reluctantly, I placed my hand in his, caught off guard by how _cold _it was. A lot of people's hands were cold, especially in dark, drafty places like this mansion but surely this was unnatural?

"Is something wrong?" Edward asked with a hint of impatience.

"No." I quickly shook my head and let him lead me out of my room.

If possible, the hallway looked as though it was even darker than usual. It would be a lie to say that I was surprised. Deep down, part of me must have suspected it. I'd caught him off guard earlier in the library. He wasn't about to let it happen again.

He held onto my hand tightly the whole way from the third floor to the dining room. He only let go when we were a foot away from the table. If it hadn't been for the brass candelabra placed in the center of the table, the room would have been pitch black. He walked over to the chair I supposed was to be mine from now on and held it out for me. I kept my eyes fixed pointedly on the ground, not wanting him to think I was interested in his face. Hopefully if I pretended as though I hadn't seen anything he would leave the matter alone and things would go back to the way they were before.

Or not. I guess it depends on how one looks at the situation.

Edward pushed the chair in gently once I'd taken my seat. I blushed at the gesture. I wasn't used to men acting this graciously towards me. Especially _him. _I'd been expecting him to keep me locked in that room forever and to throw away the key.

"Don't go anywhere," he said, sounding almost playful. That I wasn't expecting at all. I kept my surprise to myself and pretended that nothing was out of the ordinary.

I watched him as his shadowy form disappeared through the door leading into the kitchen. I stayed as still as possible as I waited for him to return. The door opened a minute later, the savory scent of mashed potatoes following him. My mouth watered immediately. It hadn't even been a day, and yet I was starving. I chalked it up to the threat...no, the promise...that I wouldn't get any dinner. And yet here I was, sitting in the dining room with a plate of meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and broccoli set in front of me.

To say I was confused was the biggest understatement of the year.

Edward was pouring a glass of something- it was impossible to tell in the dark- and set it down on the left side of the plate where the fork was. It was all I could do not to pick up the fork and dig in. Would he see that as being disrespectful? Perhaps. Either way, I waited until he sat down in his usual seat across from me, an empty plate in front of him.

I frowned but didn't dare ask if he'd already eaten. It wasn't any of my business and quite frankly I didn't care. All I cared about was the plate of delicious looking food in front of me. My empty stomach was screaming at me to start eating. Why wasn't I? I don't think I would ever have a real answer to that question.

Once again I felt Edward's eyes on me. I looked down, uncomfortable. _Please look away, please look away, please look away..._

"Are you going to eat?"

I nodded stupidly and immediately grabbed my fork, suddenly worried that he now thought I was ungrateful. I took a forkful of the potatoes, nearly moaning out loud as they melted in my mouth. They were so good I never wanted to be finished. Buttery with just a hint of garlic.

I moved onto the meatloaf, too hungry to care that it was slathered in ketchup. I ate like one eating their first big meal.

The whole time Edward kept his steely gaze on me. I was too hungry to care. He'd given me food. Never mind that he was the reason I was this ravenous in the first place. He'd given me this wonderful meal and that was all that mattered.

I was finished too soon but didn't ask for seconds. Instead I placed my fork carefully on my empty plate, wanting to make as little noise as possible. I leaned back in my chair, feeling so much better now that I'd eaten. Maybe now I could handle whatever he had planned next for me. Whatever it was, I would do it right. As much as it pained me to give in, to not do so felt like a death wish at this point. If I wanted to get out of this, I had to be smart about it. He needed to think he was in charge. And until I came up with a way out of here, I would have to do as he said.

"I hope it was good," Edward said, indicating my empty plate.

I nodded, unable to hide my smile. "Yes, it was."

"Would you like more? I have plenty."

It was tempting, but I didn't want to feel stuffed. I shook my head. "No, thank you."

He didn't answer. Did I say the wrong thing? Did he think I was ungrateful, or that I'd lied when I said the food was good? He wasn't going to lock me in my room again, was he?

When he spoke again, I held my breath, ready to run if the need arose. "I'll put the rest away for later. But before you go to bed, I want to talk to you about what happened earlier."

I immediately tensed up, knowing exactly what he was talking about. What would he say? That I was way out of line catching him off guard like that? Would he think that I'd tried to trick him by going somewhere that he hadn't expected me? Either way, I knew I wouldn't like what I was about to hear.

"I want you to know, Isabella, that I never intended to surprise you like that. It was never my intention to scare you in that manner. I keep my manor this dark because of my...scars. You were never intended to see them. I realize now that you didn't plan on catching me off guard the way you did. I wasn't thinking, obviously, otherwise I never would have lashed out at you the way I did. I guess...I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry, Isabella. I apologize for the way I treated you," he said, his voice softer and more gentle than he'd ever spoken to me before.

"It's okay..." I started to say, but he cut me off.

"No, it's not. I've lived alone for so long that I'm not used to having others around. Especially young woman. I've never...well...let's just say that it's been so long that I've sort of forgotten what it's like to live with one. My manners have gotten a little...rough." He let out a sound that sounded oddly like a short laugh. It sounded strange coming from him.

"So you must forgive me for that. I'm trying to relearn all this, but it hasn't been easy with you defying me every step of the way. It's quite understandable of course and if I was in your situation I would do the same. But the fact of the matter is that you live here now. I wouldn't go so far as to call you my prisoner, but you aren't exactly a house guest either. Even if I was planning on letting you go at some point, I can't now because you've seen..." he trailed off.

My heart was beating just a little too quickly. My attention had been raised when he'd said the words 'prisoner' and 'planning on letting you go.' I desperately wanted him to continue but he seemed to be lost in thought.

"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. What's done is done. I will do my best to treat you better, Isabella. I can't say it'll be easy. Things like rough manners don't change overnight. But perhaps you will rest easier knowing that I am trying from now on. I'll try to act more civil to you. I only ask one thing in return," he said pointedly.

I stared at him, or rather the dark outline that was him, and waited for him to continue.

"I need for you to stop trying to get away. No one is coming for you. No one knows you are here and I don't plan on that changing. There's no use in you trying to escape because it won't work. It would be incredibly naive of me to think my little speech changed your mind. But I need you to understand that I _will _know if you try to run and that whatever you try will not work. Can you promise me that you won't?" he asked. He sounded so matter of fact about it that it was unsettling.

I looked down at my lap. I didn't want to promise something like that because it felt as though he was asking me to give up my hope. My hope was all I had left.

Tears stung my eyes yet again. What was it about this guy to elicit this reaction so often? His words were like knives cutting me deep. He was expecting me something, but what else could I say? What choice did I have?

Slowly, feeling like I was giving him my life for doing so, I nodded my head once, unable to even look in his general direction.

"Good. This moment marks the new chapter. We'll leave the past where it is and start fresh. Who knows? Maybe you'll even come to like it here."

I very seriously doubted that but remained silent. Anything that came out of my mouth wouldn't do me any good.

"You may go to your room. I'll clean dinner up. Remember what I said the other day. When you wake up you are not to leave your room until I come up for you. I don't want to lock you in, but I will if necessary. I don't this situation to be more awkward than it already is. This is your new home, Isabella. I can only hope that one day you'll come to agree with me," he said as he stood up.

I copied him, unsure if I should hand him my plate or take it into the kitchen. He walked over, careful to keep his face hidden, and picked up my plate with his pale hand.

"You are dismissed."

And with that I trudged up the staircase and into my third floor bedroom, feeling about two inches tall and as empty as a hallow shell.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight or it's characters. I just play with them.

**Summery: **When Bella's father goes missing, she is afraid, but determined to find him. She finds his police car in front of a presumably empty house. What she finds inside the house is not what she expects. She makes a horrifying deal with the 'beast' of the castle, trading herself for her father. Can she break a century's old curse and help a heartless 'man' learn how to love again? Darkward.

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9 EPOV

Isabella Swan is like one of those puzzles you just can't figure out.

No matter how hard I try I cannot get the pieces to come together happily for me to see the whole picture. I have a feeling the picture is beautiful and that once I see it, I'll never want to let it go.

She is a mystery to me, and part of me doesn't want to solve it. I like the challenge of it; she presents me with so many obstacles and runs me through the maze of thousands of different emotions that I have not felt in a long time. What happens when she is no longer an enigma? What happens when I look at her and know everything there is to know? I know that the longer I keep her here, the more I'll find out about her. I'll know her favorite color, food, movie, song, childhood memory, etc. A thousand different parts to a very complicated soul.

So far I have seen the entire spectrum of human emotion in one teenage girl and I would be lying if I said it didn't wear me out. Just watching her is like watching a marathon race. One minute she is strong and defiant. The next she is small and vulnerable. She misses her father. Above all, I think that is what worries her the most.

I don't blame her. I can't. When I came to her room to apologize, I found her sprawled on the floor, her arms held tightly to her chest as though she were trying to protect herself against something known only to her. Her eyes were shut tight, her eyelids twitching rapidly, telling me that she was in REM sleep. From the looks of things, she was having a nightmare.

It was probably cruel of me not to wake her, but she would've been afraid no matter what I did. Every time she looks at me, there is tremendous fear in her eyes. Once again, I cannot blame her. I'd be worried if she _wasn't _afraid of her captor.

Every time this thought occurs to me, I have to remind myself that I didn't grab her that night and force her to stay. She'd offered to stay here in place of her father. She'd sensed that I was about to kill her father, which I was, and had been desperate enough to take his place. I will always admire her for that.

I know she regrets her decision. She doesn't regret saving her father, but she does regret the situation. She hadn't thought far enough ahead to prepare herself for what being a captive meant. Perhaps she thought that sacrificing herself gave her special privileges; that offering herself meant that the two of us would live as reluctant roommates.

The idea of that was almost comical.

Her fear isn't completely unfounded, either. There have been multiple occasions when I have seriously thought about killing her. Part of me is surprised that she is still alive. More than once I went right up to her after I'd brought her back to the castle when she tried to run away, lowered my hands to her neck and thought about strangling her. My fingertips had been about a millimeter away from her soft skin.

But I didn't do it.

I came much closer in the library when I'd made the mistake of not determining her position. If I had been more observant- more careful- I would have known that she was standing in the ideal spot for observing people in the natural sunlight.

And the look on Bella's face said it all.

After the initial shock wore off, my first feeling had been embarrassment. She had seen my ugly, unnatural, disgusting face, and was now undeniably repulsed beyond all reason. If I was human, my face would've turned beet red in shame and humiliation.

Instead it stayed its usual lovely pale color and I let my anger take over.

Once I had locked Bella in her room, I went straight back to the library and tore the room up. All of Bella's hard work was quickly ruined in my little temper tantrum. How could I have been so stupid? So careless? No one had ever seen my scars before. Not even my family. I'd made sure of that. And now here I was, out of my mind with fury that I had let this girl see them. Hell, she got a clear view! And she wasn't going to forget them.

Should I end this? Should I put an end to her misery once and for all? It would save me a lot of grief, and she wouldn't have to be trapped here anymore.

But my mind would not allow me to even entertain the idea. Killing that girl would the ultimate act of sin, which was weird because I'd never worried about sin before. I'd never given a second thought to the hundreds of lives I'd ended in order to satisfy my hunger. They were little more than walking meals to me.

When I was done trashing my precious library, I slumped down in the armchair that I hadn't managed to tear up and buried my head in my hands, breathing heavily and fighting back tears of fury. I couldn't do this. I couldn't keep this up for much longer. That girl upstairs shouldn't be any different than the other people I'd killed. What about her was so special that she had this..._power _over me? Why did the mere thought of touching her skin send waves of guilt crashing over me?

I had no idea what to do. For once I wasn't in control, and I had to find a way to get it back. Putting Bella to work wasn't doing it. Threatening her didn't work. Locking her in her room wasn't looking too promising either. So what the hell was I going to do with her?

She held so much control, and she didn't even know it. She was powerless and powerful. Weak and yet so incredibly strong. A lesser-willed person would have given up by now. But Bella did everything I told her with her head held high. She was a spectacular sight to behold.

Bella was also infuriating because she wracked me with the one emotion I hoped never to feel again.

Guilt.

Every decision I made I had to think through at least twice. Even then I was never sure I was doing the right thing. And that was another concept completely new to me as well. I never concerned myself with the right thing. I just did the first thing that came to mind and stuck to it. I'd never had problems with that before. Hell, I'd never had problems before. Not in a long time.

And now I had one very big problem.

I had no idea what I was going to do with her. Every decision I made turned out to be the wrong one. She was so strong willed that she fought me every step of the way. It would've been amusing if it wasn't so damned infuriating. And frustrating. And maddening as hell.

I had to get out of here. I needed to think clearly, and I wouldn't be able to do it here. Not with Bella upstairs.

I stormed out of the library and down the staircase to the main doors. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. The red sky of an impending sunset lit the earth in a bright, beautiful glow. I stopped for a second to take in the wonder of it. After nearly a century on this planet, the beauty of sunset was never lost on me.

With a backward glance, I checked Bella's window to make sure she wasn't staring out of it, and then stepped out further out of the safety of the shadows.

The feeling of the sunlight on my face was like coming inside the safety of a warm house after a night in the cold. Before anyone discovered my castle, I would go outside right when the sky was bright orange and sit on the porch, sometimes one of the upstairs balconies, and just bask in the warmth of the sunlight. It was something I'd never let myself do when I first became a vampire because I couldn't grow accustomed to the way my pale skin sparkled. After the curse was put upon me and my face became ugly and disfigured I was reluctant to even step outside for even the animals would cower and run away from me.

I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt, but I grew used to it. After a while I kept myself in my manor except to hunt because it was easier than dealing with anything else. The world changed all around me, but I remained the same. I was a despised, horrific creature who was destined to remain so.

I sat down on the steps of the porch and looked lazily out at the sunlight. Everything around me was calm and quiet. Peaceful. I closed my eyes and let it wash over me, willing the peace to enter me and put me in the right frame of mind for dealing with Bella later. I knew I couldn't leave her up there forever. I had to figure out something. She was miserable, but I didn't know how to make it better short of letting her go back to Charlie. But I couldn't do it. She simply knew too much.

For the first time in years, I wanted to get in touch with my family. I needed to hear Esme's comforting voice telling me I was doing the right thing; I needed to hear Carlisle walk me through all the possible outcomes and help me make an educated decision about what to do next.

They told me when I left that I would always be welcomed back. But I knew that once they saw what I'd become, they would change their minds. Who could ever love an ugly beast like me?

Besides, I didn't know their number anymore. When I left they'd been living in Alaska, but they'd have moved by now. They interact in society, therefore after some years pass they have to move because the people in town will have started to notice that they don't age.

Not that it would be hard to find them. If I wanted to, I could find a trail somewhere and just follow the scent. Perhaps there's still a trace in Alaska somewhere. It wouldn't be difficult. They'd surely know what to do about Bella.

I could just hear Esme's soft motherly voice. "Why don't you bring her here, Edward? She'd be perfectly safe with us and then you wouldn't have to worry about anyone finding out your secret."

And Carlisle's strong, agreeable tone. "Yes, Edward. If you both come live with us your secret will be safe and Bella won't go telling anyone about us. We could even change her if you found her to be a suitable companion."

Yeah, even after more than fifty years their voices still ring clearly and firmly in my head as though I'd seen them only yesterday. I knew they'd like Bella. Hell, they'd probably love her if they spent enough time with her. My adoptive parents loved anyone if they knew them long enough. Only with a few exceptions, of course.

But these were hardly the circumstances I wanted to return to them in. Before I left they'd been nagging me nearly everyday about finding a companion. They'd been worried that I was becoming lonely and despondent. They thought that if I didn't find somebody soon that I'd run off and become one of those solitary vampires. They didn't want me to fall off the wagon, as it were.

I closed my eyes and hung my head in shame. If only they could see me now.

I had to figure out something. What I was doing was not working. It's been so long since I lived with a female. I was out of my element. I had no idea what it took to take care of one. God, it was like having a pet. Only much more complicated. Why did I ever agree to this? Why couldn't I have just done what I always do and kill her? I should've killed that police chief. He would be coming back and probably with a whole crowd of people who could cause an ambush.

The only logical option I had was to call Carlisle and Esme and tell them that I would be coming back. Either that or go on a huge killing spree. And while my stomach craved the idea of all those humans- all that blood- I couldn't get Bella out of my head. Keeping a thing like that quiet would be impossible. She'd be drawn to the chaos outside and perhaps find her father and rush to help him. I'd have to keep her out of the way, but of course she would watch the whole thing in desperation and there would be no missing the slaughter.

I couldn't have her see something like that. There was only one thing to do, really.

I'd tell her we were leaving tomorrow. I needed to get things settled anyway. I had to call Carlisle, pack the things of importance, and get Bella to come with me. One way or another.

I watched as the sun slowly drifted away into the horizon. I sighed as I tried to stifle the guilt that Bella didn't have the same view as me. I gazed upward at her window. It was empty. I tried not to imagine her curled up in a ball on her bed, looking small and delicate and so very breakable.

What was I doing? As if I wasn't a monster before. Now I felt worse than the Volturi twice over.

I stood up, taking one last look as the sun disappeared, leaving darkness in its wake. I opened the door and quickly shut it. I paused and looked around the dark, dreary entryway. For once I wasn't glad to see it. Now it felt cold and stifling.

I stormed out of it and into the kitchen, lighting a candle on the counter. I walked to the pantry and looked at all the fresh foods I'd stolen in town. It had been so long since I'd eaten food that I was almost curious to try it. But the taste held me back. I shook my head and took out the first things I saw. I took them to the counter and proceeded to read the directions on the boxes, determined to make it right.

An hour later it was fixed and ready to be served. I took a smell, surprised at how _good _it smelled. I wasn't that bad of a cook.

Turning the temperature of the stove down, I went upstairs to collect Bella. I had some apologizing to do.

I sat and waited patiently for her to wake up. I'd never seen her so small and..._broken. _And a small part of me couldn't help but feel as though it were my fault. It was. I knew that. I wanted to wake her up and take her out of whatever nightmare she was having. But I didn't because she also considered staying here to be a nightmare. Maybe even worse judging from the way she looks at me and speaks to me every time we see each other.

When she finally did wake up she looked around, confused, but that look changed immediately upon spotting me. Her eyes widened in what can only be described as terror. She backed away from me as far as her arms and legs could carry her. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hurt, but it was expected. I should've been expecting it.

She brought her legs up to her chest and curled herself into a ball, looking as though she expected me to hit her. Part of me actually _wanted _to console her. She would never believe me. I hadn't done anything to tell her any differently.

I cleared my throat before speaking. "Are you ready to behave?"

She jumped in surprise. Did she expect me to stay silent and beat her senseless for her defiance? Judging by the way she was acting, yes. I fought back impatience.

Looking completely broken she murmured, "Y-Yes."

I tried to be as gentle as possible as I lead her to the dining room. I act like the man I used to be and hold the door for her, hold her chair out for her and push it in gently, bring the food to her, and sit with her as she eats her first and only real meal of the day. I watched with even more guilt as she assaulted the food as though her life depended on it. She said nothing. I didn't expect her to say anything. She's been so afraid since coming here that she waits for me to initiate conversation.

I waited until she finished before I gave her the apology she deserves. The former Edward Masen would cringe and be disgusted by the manners I have shown this girl thus far. I know that I will look back on this someday and be absolutely repulsed. This is not the way to treat a lady.

I tried to gauge her reaction to my words and did my best to make them sound sincere but I think I am failing. Nothing about Bella's face reassures me that she believes me. In fact, she looked even more run down than ever. I just want to scream at her; why can't she see that it's safer here? She doesn't know the land and she knows it. She'll just end up getting lost if she tries to run away again, and maybe next time I won't notice as quickly. She wouldn't stand a chance against an alive grizzly bear, or worse, a stray pack of vampires.

I told her to go to her room and to stay there. I sound like such a bastard. I heard myself bark orders at her as though she were my servant and want to correct myself. But I don't. It would show weakness on my part, and Bella doesn't need to think that I don't know what I'm doing. If she sensed even a hint of my indecisiveness she would be gone. I'm not naive enough to think otherwise.

Once I heard her door close I went across the hall into the study and threw myself in an armchair as I tried to decide what to do. I can't sit around and wait for the bottom to fall out. Bella's father _will _be back. There's no question about it. I have his daughter and he'll want to make me pay. It's a threat I wouldn't have given any thought about if it were under normal circumstances. But I can't bring myself to relish the thought of killing the police chief. It would devastate Bella. It would make her insane with grief. And once the grief wore off, it would turn into rage. Rage aimed at me. And then I would have to kill her, too.

My heart twists at the mere thought of hurting her physically. Again, I can't understand why. It can't be because I like her. I don't. She drives me crazy. On more than one occasion I have seriously contemplated ending her life.

So why did _this _particular scenario bother me so much?

I rubbed my brow in agitation. This was getting me nowhere. I had to get us out of here.

I stood up, deciding to act on my decision before I changed my mind. I crossed the room to the desk sitting in the far left corner of the room and light a candle, making sure that Bella isn't around anywhere. I know she isn't, but the gesture comforts me somewhat.

I shoved the drawers of the desk open and rifled messily through it, looking for the piece of paper given to me so long ago. I haven't thought about it in fifty years, but I vaguely remember stuffing it in this particular drawer. Paper flew everywhere around me, none of them the one I'm looking for.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, I find the crumpled up piece of yellowing paper and smooth it out on top of the desk. It hasn't changed in all these years. I'm not sure why this comes as a surprise. Everything about me is unchanging.

I look at the number and contemplate one final time if I really want to do this. There will be no going back. Esme will make sure I don't leave again. I know I broke her heart. I didn't have to read her mind to know that.

But I don't have any other choice. The alternative is far graver. Let Bella hate me forever for this. It's better than her watching her father's death.

So I picked up the phone I've never used and slowly punch in the numbers, praying that this is still my father's number.

Someone picked up after the third ring. "Hello?"

The voice is smooth with just a hint of unease. It's for good reason. Vampires don't usually get phone calls.

I took a moment before I spoke. I still wasn't sure how Carlisle would react to hearing from me again. "It's me."

"Edward?" His voice lifts up with just those two words. He sounds like he's just gotten the best gift ever and I can't help but smile a bit at it. I never realized until now how much I missed it. "Edward, is that you?"

"Y-Yes, Carlisle. It's me."

"Oh Edward. Do you realize how long it's been?" He sounds both ecstatic and unbelieving.

I smile. It's a strange feeling. "Fifty years."

"I was beginning to think we would never hear from you. Esme kept hoping and hoping, but I never had the heart to tell her it might not happen. We've been so worried about you. We tried desperately to find you, but you knew how to hide yourself. We even went to the Volturi, but of course they were no help. They said you had the right to live as you pleased and that when the time was right you would come back to us. I never dreamed..." He trailed off as his voice cracked.

He sounded painstakingly happy that I felt horrible that I was about to tell him I only contacted him because I needed something. Some son I was.

"I'm sorry, Carlisle, for putting you and Esme through all that. And we'll have plenty of time to talk later. But I need your help."

And so I went into the story, telling him about Chief Swan breaking into my manor, about cornering him, about Bella and her sacrifice. I didn't tell him about my current lifestyle, but he pretty much gathered it because of my reasons for not wanting Bella to stay in Forks.

When I was finished, Carlisle was silent. I could feel his disappointment through the phone. Damn, I knew this was a bad idea.

"Edward...what have you done?" His voice is barely a whisper now. A disappointed whisper.

"Can you help me?" I ask, ignoring his question.

He sighs. I can't tell if he's frustrated or worn out. "Of course I can. We're in Portland. You can get here in a few hours. But if you have a human with you, it might be better if you drive, or at least take a few breaks if you go on foot. She won't be used to the speed and she'll get flushed easily. Call us when you're close, okay?"

I nod, not knowing what else to do. "We'll be there in two days."

Carlisle promises to tell Esme that I'm coming. I want to tell him to pass on my apologies to her, but I know it will sound better coming from me personally, so we hang up leaving it with Carlisle's promise.

I stare at the phone, still not able to believe that I will soon see my adoptive parents again, then go upstairs to tell Bella to get herself ready.

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**A/N: Edward is sure going through a lot of mood swings, eh? I figured with how long I took to update last time you all deserved a second update this week. Edward so fun to write! **

**How do you think Bella's going to take being uprooted to Oregon? How will Carlisle and Esme react to Edward and Bella? Reviews make updates come faster! Your input really helps!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight. I own nothing.**

** 10. **

I lay nervously on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, wondering if I would ever find a way out of this nightmare. Edward's mood swings were enough to keep me on my guard, not that I ever let it down. He was hot and cold. One wrong move set him off. I wished I knew what brought about his better moods so that I could make sure it happened more often.

I had been pleasantly surprised at dinner. He hadn't eaten again, which was a shame because it was _really _good. The meat loaf wouldn't have been my first choice, but I was in no position to have preferences. And afterwards I had been sent to my room like a child. Again.

I wanted desperately to stop in the library and take a book to pass the time. Laying in bed and staring at the ceiling only added to my boredom.

I knew I should go to sleep. Today had been pretty crazy and I was more than ready for it to be over with. But my mind was flooded with so many memories and emotions, good and bad, that it was impossible for it to settle down. Images of Edward kept popping up where they were least expected. They both scared me and fascinated me.

Most of them had to do with his scars. I found myself wondering how he could have gotten them. What kind of torture had he been through? Was that what made him so hostile and reclusive? He was obviously ashamed of them if he kept the entire castle in darkness just so that no one sees them. But he'd kept the castle in darkness even before Charlie and I stumbled upon this place. Was he so ashamed of them that even he couldn't bear the sight of them?

Despite my attempts to fight it, I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him. He must have gone through something unimaginable to have scars like that. And it was probably done intentionally, but by whom? Who could possibly have done that to him? I found myself wondering.

I knew Edward would be beyond pissed if he found out I was thinking about him like this. If he caught me wondering about the source of his disfigured face, he'd make good on his promise and kill me. I knew that would be the limit he seemed to be searching for.

I hated myself for wanting to help him. He'd done nothing but make my life a living hell, and yet here I was, trying to find a way to make him feel better. Of course, I had no idea how to go about doing that. I tried telling myself that I was only interested in doing it so that he could maybe calm down a little and not be so...mysterious.

Suddenly the door burst open, breaking me out of my reverie. Startled, I sat up and watched as Edward strode over to the closet and began shoving the new clothes he'd bought for me into a black leather suitcase that he'd dumped open on the floor. He paid me no attention as he busied himself with throwing as many of my new belongings as possible into that suitcase.

I watched in silence, my heart beginning to pick up speed. What was he doing? Was he throwing me out? The thought was both exciting and scary. He must know that I'd get lost easily out in the woods, and especially at this time of night. Was this some sort of test? Oh God, maybe this was his elaborate way of killing me and he wanted to make sure my death was as slow and drawn out as possible...

"Isabella, get dressed. We're leaving," Edward snapped as he zipped up the suitcase that was now overflowing with random materials.

"W-what?" I asked stupidly.

He sighed with impatience. "Are you deaf? I said get dressed! We're leaving in two minutes. If you aren't ready than I will throw you over my shoulder no matter your condition. Meet me just outside this room. And don't keep me waiting."

Then, as suddenly as he'd entered my room, he was gone, leaving me staring agape at the now closed door.

What. The. Fuck.

Hastily I took off my pajamas and threw the clothes I'd worn earlier that day back on since he'd stuffed all the others into the suitcase. Should I take the pajamas? I had no idea if I would need them wherever he was taking me. In the end I decided to leave them here. He'd given me more than just the one pair and had most likely packed the others. I hastily ran my fingers through my long hair, not bothering to find out if he'd packed my brush.

When that was finished I grabbed my jacket and hurried out into the hallway.

Edward was standing three feet from my door with his arms crossed. He was the very definition of impatient. I couldn't help the small shiver of annoyance that ran through me. If he didn't want to be kept waiting, he should've just picked me up and carried me wherever he was taking me.

"Let's go," he said the moment my door was shut and all but pushed me ahead of him toward the staircase.

I picked up my pace so that he wouldn't think I was going too slow and push me down the stairs. I had no doubt that I would fall and crash my way down to the first floor if he did.

Once we were on the first floor he shoved me to the front door and opened it. I stumbled out into the cold midnight air, shivering slightly. I only had a second to marvel at the gloriously large, bright full moon in the sky. It never ceased to amaze me.

"C'mon. We don't have a lot of time." Edward grabbed my arm and pulled me forcefully around to the back of the castle where a shiny silver Volvo sat, looking brand new. I frowned at the sight. If he never left this place, why did he have a car?

He pushed me forward and I did my best not to fall to the ground. I winced at the pain that was now in my upper arm from his grip but didn't say anything. I didn't want to do anything that would make him angrier. He opened the passenger side door and let go of my arm, gesturing impatiently for me to get in.

I did as fast as I could, trying not to wince at the loud bang of the door being slammed shut after me. Not even a second later he was in the driver's seat with the car already being driven away from the castle before I had time to put my seat belt on.

Edward drove like the devil was after him. The scenery outside rushed past us, the shapes blurring into a sea of colors. I tried to keep my breathing in check and didn't dare look at the speedometer to find out how fast we were going. It would only increase my fear by a thousand, and my heart was beating fast enough as it was.

In no time at all we were out of the forest and back into town. It felt like a hundred years since I'd seen civilization. Part of me wanted to open the door, fall out, and run for help. But the rational part of me knew I would never survive it. If the fall didn't kill me, Edward would for trying to escape.

So I watched with tearful resignation as we raced out of Forks. All too soon we were out of town and back into an unfamiliar setting. Edward had found a small highway with only two lanes in either direction and hardly any cars. He _finally _slowed down after we were on the highway for a few minutes, but his definition of slow was still way too fast for me.

We sat in silence, the tension so thick that you could cut it with a knife. I wanted to ask him where we were going but didn't dare to make the first sound. He finally seemed to have calmed down somewhat. His pale hands were no longer gripping the steering wheel as though he were trying to choke it, and his entire body seemed more relaxed. Though I still couldn't see his face in the darkness of the scenery around us, I knew it was calm and collected.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked after a while.

I looked at him in surprise. Did he honestly expect me to answer that? I decided that, rather answer his question, I would ask him one of my own. "Where are we going?"

"Portland," he replied. I raised my eyebrows in even more surprise. I hadn't expected him to answer that particular question. I was expecting him to find a secluded area, dump me in it, and drive off without so much as a look back.

I nodded, not knowing what else to do. I was afraid that if I opened my mouth I would start to cry. Portland. It had always seemed relatively close until now. How would I ever find my way back to Forks from there? If I somehow managed to get past Edward, I would have to find the money somehow to buy a plane ticket. I wasn't quite desperate enough yet to hitchhike.

I didn't ask Edward why we were going to Portland. It didn't matter. I supposed it had something to do with getting me far away from Forks, where someone I knew could possibly stumble upon the castle. I doubted it was because Edward was feeling cabin fever.

After a while- I wasn't sure exactly how much time had passed- I could feel myself starting to drift. My eyelids gradually grew heavier and heavier. The soft purr of the engine was lolling me to the edge of unconsciousness, but I couldn't fall asleep. Whatever plans Edward had for me would be made even easier if I was asleep. My defenses would be down, and by the time I woke up, it might already be too late.

I knew I was probably just being paranoid, but I couldn't help it. All the possibilities were too terrifying to ignore. I had to be ready. Just in case Edward decided to pull something.

I would only rest my eyes for a few minutes. And then I would be ready, on my guard.

Just for a few minutes...

~O~

"Wake up, Isabella. We're here."

Edward's velvety voice brought me back to consciousness. For a minute I forgot where I was and became a little startled at the motion of a moving car. When I saw the sunshine outside the car I nearly gasped in horror.

I'd fallen asleep. How stupid, careless, and ignorant could I be? What if Edward had tried anything? I would've been screwed. But even worse than that, now I had absolutely no idea where I was. He'd said last night we were going to Portland, but he could easily have changed our course when I'd been asleep. Now we could be anywhere, and it was all my fault.

Edward stopped the car in the driveway of one of the biggest houses I'd ever seen. It was long and tall, with at least three stories. It was about half the size of a football field in length. The walls looked as though they'd recently been painted white. The yard was landscaped with a gravel path leading up to the porch. In the center of the yard was a big white marble fountain with running water. The sight of it made me thirsty.

Was this another home of Edward's? It was exactly his type. Edward quickly gestured for me to get out of the car, which I did.

My entire body was sore from sitting for so long. I was somewhat surprised at how quickly we crossed state borders. I didn't want to think about how fast Edward must have been driving to get us here so quickly. As Edward grabbed the black leather suitcase from the trunk, I stretched my arms and legs and got a better look at the grounds of this massive house.

There were three cars parked in the driveway ahead of the Volvo, and all of them were worth more than Charlie's life savings and house put together. There was a black Mercedes, a yellow Hummer, and red Porsche. I couldn't help gaping.

"Come, Isabella. Let's get inside." I turned to face Edward, both surprised and unsurprised at the black trench coat with the hood covering his face.

He led the way to the porch, following the gravel pathway. When we got to the front door I expected him to pull out a key to unlock it, but I was surprised even further when he set the suitcase on the ground and rang the doorbell.

It was silent on the outside, but I knew it rang on the inside. A second later a tall man with sleek blond hair answered the door. He frowned in confusion upon seeing us. But when he looked at Edward, face hidden as usual with the hood of his coat, his expression changed immediately to surprised delight.

"Edward?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, Carlisle. May we come in?" Edward asked, not sounding at all like the man I'd been living with. He sounded gentle, kind and regretful. Who was this man and how did they know each other?

The man named Carlisle opened the door wider so that we could both step inside. Edward went in first, followed by me. As soon as we were both inside, Carlisle quickly shut the door and turned around to face us.

The entryway was huge, with the ceiling towering some feet above us. The walls were a pale cream color with replicas of Da Vinci, Picasso, and Van Gogh. The floors were brown hardwood that echoed with every footstep. There was not a speck of dust to be seen. I had to admit that this was a damn fine house.

Carlisle led us into what could only be the living room with its black suede sofa, matching suede armchairs, glass coffee table and 48" plasma screen TV. Carlisle and Edward took the sofa and sat facing each other, leaving me with one of the armchairs. Despite the chair's softness, I sat upright and stiff, ready to make a run for it should the need arise.

"Hello, son. It's good to see you," Carlisle began. To his credit, he did look as if he was speaking the truth. I tried not to hide my surprise. Son? So this young looking, handsome, blond man was Edward's _father? _How could that be?

If either of them took notice of my surprise, they didn't show it. "Likewise," Edward repeated. I could tell that from his vantage point, Carlisle had a clear view of Edward's face underneath the hood. If he was surprised or disgusted at his scars, he hid it well.

Carlisle glanced at me for the first time, but quickly looked away before speaking. "Is that her?"

My eyes widened slightly at his words. Edward had told him about me? When?

"Yes," Edward answered.

"What's her name?" Carlisle asked him, as though I were not in the room at all.

"Isabella."

Carlisle's eyes swept over me again. I frowned, wishing that he would look elsewhere. I wasn't some new pet his son had brought home to play with. Or was I? I really didn't want to know the answer to that question. "She's beautiful, Edward. I can see now your attraction to her."

Was it my imagination, or did he just lick his lips?

Edward turned around a few inches in his seat, his head craned almost imperceptibly. I knew he was now looking at me as well. I wanted desperately to find my voice and tell them off, but it was adamantly staying put. It was probably best not to say anything that might set them off. If Edward was dangerous enough, I didn't want to imagine at how terrifying his father could possibly be.

"Did you talk to Esme? Is it okay if we stay here for a while? Just until it's safe to go back?" Edward asked once he'd turned away from me again. I began wringing my hands in my lap, unsure of what else to do with them. I still kept my attention focused on Edward and Carlisle. I wanted to notice the slightest movement either of them made in my direction.

Carlisle sighed, almost as if this was a subject he hadn't wanted to be brought up. "Yes, Edward, I did. She was thrilled when I told her you would be returning, as you can imagine. I'd go get her now if she wasn't sleeping. She was up all night preparing for your arrival." He looked down at his feet for a second, then looked back at Edward's. "Your mother is going to want to know how long you intend to stay here. You know if it were up to her, you'd never leave again. I want to know what you plan on saying to her. She was devastated when you left last time. I don't her going through that pain again."

I imagined that Edward had gone very still. It was clear he didn't know what he was going to say to his mother. I found myself interested despite myself. Edward actually had a family? This was the last thing I'd expected when he had dragged me to the car last night. We were staying with his family. Under any other circumstances I'd be relieved. But the fact that I was Edward's prisoner and he had taken me to see his family told me that they probably were not any different than him. Edward was not worried about them calling the police on him.

That meant I was still very much his hostage. Only now I was the hostage of at least two other people.

"I don't either. Don't worry, Carlisle. I'll think of something. In the meantime, could you possibly spare us two rooms? I'd like to change, and I'm sure Isabella is tired from her long journey," Edward said, changing the subject.

My heart picked up speed once more as my name was brought into the conversation. Edward and Carlisle both stood up, so I did the same. Carlisle smiled and turned to me even though he was still speaking to his son. "Of course, Edward. I'll take Isabella up to her room and get her settled. I'll meet you back down here. You can pick any room."

Carlisle gestured for me to follow him and I did so, noticing that he had taken hold of the suitcase and carried it up with him.

I made sure to stay a couple paces behind him, not wanting to be anywhere near his grasp should he decide to turn on me once he got me alone.

He led me through an intricate maze of hallways. It was almost as maze-like as Edward's mansion back in Forks, only this house was considerably lighter. The windows were open and the white lace curtains fluttered gently in the breeze wafting in. There were plants scattered here and there, giving the place a welcoming atmosphere. The different hallways were painted various shades, from light blue that matched the outside sky, to a light pink. Either this man or his wife really enjoyed decorating. Probably the latter.

I wasn't surprised when Carlisle took me up to the third floor, at the end of the farthest hallway from the staircase. If I'd had any doubts that Carlisle knew who I was, it was gone. He opened the door and pushed it wide, letting me step in first. I did, careful to know where Carlisle was at all times.

This room was even bigger than the one I'd been given at Edward's castle. It could easily have fit both my room and living room from my old house in it. The walls were vanilla colored with landscape paintings lining the walls. The bed was queen sized with royal blue sheets tucked crisply into it. There was a nightstand to the right of it with a lamp and digital clock. There was a little nook by the far window that most likely overlooked the front of the house. The curtains were the same white lace as all the others.

Carlisle walked over to the bed and laid the suitcase on top of it. Then he turned to me with his hands on his hips. I immediately tensed up, silently wishing that he would leave.

"Hopefully this room is to your satisfaction. I'll give you some time to unpack and get some rest. Come down when you're ready and we'll see about getting you something to eat. I'm sorry for the circumstances, but I am really pleased to meet you. I know that with enough time, you'll come to think of us as family."

He flashed me a shy half-smile, then walked out of the room, leaving me alone. He closed the door gently behind him.

I stared at the closed door, dumbfounded. Family? I certainly hoped not.

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**A/N: And there you have it. What did you think of Carlisle? Esme will make an appearance next chapter. Is Bella handling the move well? Things are just getting started with this awkward makeshift family! As always, I love hearing from you. Please review! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight. I own nothing.**

**A/N: Sorry for the lateness. You know how life gets in the way. Between finals, appointments, helping a friend move, it's been a crazy month. Thanks for sticking with me. To make it up to you, I've given you another chapter from Edward's point of view. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Hope you like this next chapter!**

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**11. EPOV**

Had I made a mistake coming here?

It had been the obvious choice at the time. Hell, even now logic tells me this was the best course of action. The most amount of good can come from this, which isn't much. And even though bring Bella here, away from her home-away from my home- didn't sit well with me, the alternative would have been much, much worse.

Still, seeing Bella standing on the staircase, eyes wide as she looked at my father in what I can only call fear, didn't sit well with me. I'd never intended for her and Carlisle to cross paths, but it couldn't have been helped. If I wanted his help, sooner or later he and Bella would have to meet.

I can only hope that, should the need arise, I'd be able to intervene.

I was looking forward to seeing Esme again, however. I'd known walking out on her and Carlisle would break her heart. Initially, I'd been afraid that she would never forgive me. For a while, I'd convinced myself of it, and the anger, pain, and sadness that was caused by that belief had been enough to make me hate myself even more than I had since the curse had been put upon me.

But I pushed that thought to the back of my mind. The last thing I needed to do was think about that damn curse and how it had ruined my life.

I sat and waited for my father to return. I'd heard him tell Bella to come downstairs as soon as she felt ready, but I knew we wouldn't be seeing her for the rest of the night. She was beyond scared at this point. Not that I could blame her and I knew I was at fault. All of this was my fault. That fact did not escape me. But the knowledge did not lessen the pain any. In fact, it made it that much worse.

Carlisle looked smug as he returned five minutes later. He sat down on the green plush sofa across from me and gave me a knowing look. "She's charming, Edward. I can see now why you did not want to let her go."

Something about his tone made me look away. He sounded different. Not like the man I'd lived with for over a hundred years. Since when did the sight of a mere human girl stir him up so? He looked eager. Lustful. Dare I say it, hungry.

What had I been thinking, coming here?

"I didn't have a choice. She'd already seen too much." I still couldn't look him in the eye.

"Yes, but so had her father, according to you. Yet you let him go. Alive, even. That's a first for you, Edward. From what I've heard about you over the years, you seem to have developed a nasty temper and an insatiable appetite," Carlisle went on, finally having the decency to sound ashamed.

I wanted to call him out on what appeared to be his own lustful feelings about Bella, but decided that now wasn't the time. I still hadn't spoken to Esme yet. She didn't need to get mixed up in the middle of an argument when we hadn't even been reunited yet.

"I decided that he wasn't worth it. It's one thing for a girl to go missing, but for a girl and her father to go missing...especially with him being the chief of police...it would raise an awful lot of questions, and I didn't want to risk my living arrangements," I explained, hoping it would be enough for him to drop it and move on to another topic.

It hadn't. "Yet here you are, Edward, away from your secluded mansion and back into our home. I can't say I'm not happy to see you. Just a little surprised. And I'm sure your mother will feel the same way once I tell her that you've arrived."

"Are you going to tell her about Bella?" I wondered, trying to keep my voice casual, but failing.

Carlisle blinked in surprise. "Why wouldn't I? I'm sure she's just as anxious to meet her as I was."

I sighed. I knew it would be pointless to keep Bella a secret from them, especially since I called them and asked for their help. Still, I knew the risk I'd be taking involving them. They'd both been looking for someone I could 'settle down' with ever since I'd joined their little family. Carlisle and Esme had been together for about forty years before they found me. They thought seeing me watch them be together all the time, finding solace in each other's arms, made me feel lonely. As such, they'd been looking for a girl we could all like well enough to turn.

But at the time the thought made my skin crawl.

Not that I didn't want a companion. I did. Eternity as a vampire could get very lonely if you were doomed to spend it alone. I didn't want to, but having Carlisle and Esme had been enough for me. They were family, we liked each other's company, so what else did I need?

Carlisle would never back down from this. I knew from the moment he'd set eyes on Bella what he wanted to do. I just needed to watch her at all times. My father would _not _change her. Not now, when she was scared to death of us and despised me for all that I had done to her. I wanted a companion who would love me, but most of all, I wanted a companion who _I _could love. Isabella Swan just wasn't that girl.

Plain and simple.

I opened my mouth to reply, a small cough at the foot of the stairs caused both of us to turn our heads. For a second I thought Bella had come back down and I was prepared to be surprised, but then I saw honey colored hair and Esme's smiling face and knew I'd been wrong.

I stood up of my own volition and walked over to her, embracing my mother in the biggest hug I'd ever given anyone in my life. Her arms engulfed me, trapping me into her body, and I wasn't sure if she would ever let me go. Clearly Carlisle hadn't been exaggerating the deep loss she'd felt upon my unexpected departure.

"Edward!" she cried, and I thought for a second that she would begin to cry. "I can't believe you came back! I thought I would never see you again."

Her words brought forth the guilt I'd been suppressing ever since I left. "I'm sorry, Esme."

The words felt inadequate, but they were the best I could come up with. But they seemed to be enough for my mother, for her grip around me tightened and she nestled her face into my shoulders. "It's such a relief to see you again, alive and well!" She let go a minute later and stood back in order to get a better look at me. "And what's this I hear about a girl?"

"Oh," I said, glad that she wasn't able to see my face, or the slight blush that involuntarily heated it. "Yeah. Her name is Bella."

"Is she..." Esme trailed off, her eyes hinting at her unasked question. They were wide and hopeful. Suddenly I couldn't bear to disappoint her so I answered her question as truthfully as I was able.

"It's a little early to tell. But she's going to be staying here for a while, so maybe once you've met her and gotten to know her, you'll be able to tell me if she would be okay." I plastered on a smile for good measure and breathed a sigh of relief when Esme smiled widely, looking genuinely happy, and walked over to join Carlisle on the sofa.

"I'd be happy to! When do I meet her?"

Carlisle answered before I got the chance to. "She's currently upstairs unwinding from her long journey. I'd say we give her an hour or so and then bring her downstairs. I think you're going to love her."

If possible, Esme's smile grew even wider and she clasped her hands together with excitement.  
"Excellent! Oh Edward, I just can't believe that you're here. We have so much to catch up on. You must tell me everything that you've been up to. I feel as though I've missed so much."

At this, both Carlisle and I averted our gaze to the floor. I'd unwillingly shared with him my current lifestyle and diet, but I wasn't ready for Esme to know. The unhappiness and disappointment I was sure to find was too much to think about. Luckily Carlisle spared me from having to answer.

"Why don't we let Edward go hunt? He must be hungry after a long journey. After that, if he feels up to it, he can fill us in on what he's been up to." He turned to me, understanding and caution easily readable upon his face. "Is that okay with you?"

"Yes," I replied, hoping I didn't sound too eager. "I could use a little time to myself."

Esme smiled warmly, and the guilt immediately returned with a vengeance. "Okay. Just don't stay away too long. If Bella comes down and can't find you, I'm not sure how she might react. She doesn't yet know your father or I."

I nodded, knowing my absence wouldn't be the reason Bella would panic if she were to come downstairs.

"I won't be gone long. Just..." I hesitated, trying to will the words to come. "Try to make Bella comfortable? She doesn't yet know what we are, and I would like to keep it that way."

Carlisle and Esme nodded understandingly. "She'll be fine. Now go. But please hurry back."

Deciding not to waste any more time, I hurried from the room and headed for the front door, but paused when I felt rather than saw a pair of eyes watching me. Before I could whip my head around fully to find out who was staring at me, distant footsteps faded away from the spot in which I'd been looking, then the distinct sound of a door slamming echoed throughout the hallway.

~O~

The hunt left me feeling just as hungry as before I left.

Animals never satisfied my hunger quite like humans, but their blood wasn't as rich and filling as a human's. The unsuspecting deer that I'd found rather easily in the woods was like eating an appetizer without moving on to the main course. But it was better than nothing, and I knew Carlisle and Esme would never forgive me if I went out to find a human.

No, I would just have stick it out make do with the deer.

Carlisle and Esme were in the kitchen upon my return. The stove was on and it looked as though they were attempting to boil water. I frowned. Had they developed a hobby in the time I'd been gone?

"Oh, Edward, right on time! Would you happen to know what kinds of food Bella likes?" Esme asked eagerly as she began to stir the water in the pot.

Oh, right, Bella. I'd forgotten she was here for a moment. I immediately felt silly for not remembering that she didn't have the same diet as the three of us. Of course she would need to eat actual food.

"Well," I began as I walked over to peer into the refrigerator. I don't know what I expected to find since we didn't need food to stay alive, and it was doubtful that my adoptive parents had anything that would prove useful. Hell, I didn't even know why they had a refrigerator in the first place. "I gave her all different kinds of food back in Forks and she seemed to like all of them. She'll probably eat whatever you give her."

"Yes, but we want to make her comfortable. We don't want to force her to eat food she doesn't like." Carlisle's tone was indignant. "If she's going to live here, we want her to feel welcome and happy. Not as though she's a prisoner."

The look he gave me was pointed, but I refused to reply. Instead, I went to help Esme prepare whatever she was preparing. From the looks of things, she was making some kind of soup. I wondered for a minute if they'd visited a store to buy ingredients, or if Esme was calling upon her human memories and making the meal from scratch.

I watched her in awe as she threw in ingredient upon ingredient. She looked as though she knew what she was doing and wasn't lacking in confidence and was even enjoying what she was doing. I figured she had to be remembering her years as a human. I watched her without getting in her way. Carlisle and I exchanged impressed glances. It was nice to see Esme like this. She appeared even more motherly than I remembered.

The soft aroma of chicken noodle soup eventually filled the air, and I would be lying if I said it didn't smell good. It almost made me wish food didn't taste like dirt in my mouth just so I could taste what Esme had made. She poured some soup into a bowl and set it on the dining table that I imagined my parents rarely used.

"Would you be kind enough to get Bella? If she feels too uncomfortable to come down then you can tell her she can eat in her room, but I'd like to use this opportunity to meet her," Esme said gently, touching my shoulder gracefully with her hand.

I nodded, careful to keep my face hidden in the shadow of the room. "Yes."

I walked past Carlisle and made my way carefully upstairs. I made sure to walk as silently as possible, not wanting to alert Bella to my presence. Perhaps it was cruel, but I didn't want her to know I was coming.

Once I reached the second floor I closed my eyes and focused all my attention on my hostage's scent. I didn't know which room Carlisle had given her, so I had to rely on my animal instincts to find her.

I followed her scent up to the third floor, both surprised and unsurprised that this was where Carlisle decided to put her. He'd wanted to give her enough space that she didn't feel threatened, but didn't want her close enough to the doors to try and escape. Was that worry just for my benefit, or did he truly care whether or not she got away?

As with my mansion back at Forks, she was at the very end of the farthest hallway, right at the very back of the house. I took a moment to imagine how she must be feeling: alone, secluded, trapped, scared, on edge, worried. The list went on and on. I pushed those feelings aside and decided to get on with this. There wasn't anything I could do about any of those things. The time to walk away had long since passed.

The hallway was completely silent except for the soft padding of my footsteps. I could hear Bella's soft breathing and was relieved to know that she was unaware of my presence. Not bothering with the pretense of breathing, I strode towards her bedroom door and only paused for a minute before I opened it.

Bella shot off the bed as though it had burned her. Her eyes were wide with alarm that only intensified upon seeing me. She backed up as I entered her room without permission. As always, I was careful to remain in the shadows. This girl had already seen my scars and disfigured face once. I did not want it happening again.

"My mother would like for you to come downstairs so the two of you can meet. She also prepared some soup for you since you must be hungry. She sent me up to collect you," I said with as much authority as I could muster up. Seeing her like this-so alert and fearful-had me questioning my previous approach. I couldn't back down, however. It would be showing her weakness. If she suspected there was even the slightest chance that she could get away, she would not hesitate to take it.

Her breathing hitched and her heartbeat picked up speed. At first I thought she wouldn't reply, but then her head bobbed up and down in an unsure nod. Instead of telling her comforting words about how it would all be okay, I gestured impatiently for her to follow me.

"Come on," I said and stepped back once I got into the hallway so that she could get through the door. When she was out of the room I closed the door and indicated that she should go first.

I walked behind her and kept my attention focused on her, ready just in case she tried to make a run for it. With three vampires in this house, there was no way she'd be able to get away, but I wanted to be careful. Even the most minor slip up could get any of us hurt. Especially Bella. Sometimes I forgot that she was just a fragile little human.

Bella kept throwing me sideways glances as though she wanted to find out whether or not I was still behind her. Her apprehension was so tantamount that I wondered how she could stand it. With time, perhaps she would become accustomed to life here. She might as well, because she was more than likely never going back to Forks again. Certainly not without me.

Carlisle was waiting for us at the foot of the stairs on the first floor. Bella hesitated when she saw him, but I motioned for her to keep walking. Carlisle was the safest vampire to be around. His self control was envious. If she'd been bleeding profusely, he wouldn't even flinch. But there was simply no way to explain this to Bella, so I watched as Carlisle invited her to join him in the kitchen.

To my surprise, she looked at me questioningly before she went with him. Was she asking for my permission? Certainly not. Maybe she was trying to gauge my reaction to her being led off by my father. I nodded at her to go with him, trying desperately to quench the uneasy feeling settling itself deep into my being.

I followed them into the kitchen and inhaled deeply the aroma of the chicken noodle soup. It seemed to have grown in the time I'd taken to collect Isabella. Esme had been in the middle of cleaning up when the three of us appeared. When she caught sight of Bella, her face broke out into a warm smile.

"Bella! I can't tell you how pleased I am to meet you," she said as she embraced the young girl in a hug. The gesture had been unexpected, and I noticed Bella's shoulders stiffen at Esme's touch.

Esme went on as though she hadn't noticed. "This is certainly an unexpected surprise. When I learned that Edward was returning to us, I had no idea that he was bringing a guest. But I'm very happy you're here. Come!" She let go of Bella and motioned for her to take a seat at the table. "I've fixed some dinner for you. You must be starved!"

Bella's eyes shot up upon those words, and even I had to wonder at my mother's choice of words. But Esme looked as though she didn't think she'd said anything wrong. She smiled widely at all of us as though she couldn't be happier.

Reluctantly, Bella took a seat and stared at her bowl of soup as though she expected it to attack her. Esme handed her a spoon and we all watched as Bella slowly took it and scooped some soup and brought it to her mouth.

The awkward atmosphere was stifling. Bella's heartbeat was beating so hard in her chest I thought for a moment that it would burst out of her chest. Her hand was trembling as she slowly put the spoonful of soup into her mouth and gulped it down. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise at the taste. Was it good? Bad? Judging from her expression, it was good. She drank more and more, until eventually her bowl was empty.

"Would you like some more?" Esme asked eagerly. She took Bella's bowl without waiting for an answer and dished her some more.

Carlisle and I took the moment to sit down on the opposite side of Bella, me in the darkest corner. Bella's eyes were fixed on me, as though she expected me to do something she wouldn't like. Her heartbeat had slowed some, but it was still beating quickly. By no means was she comfortable, but she didn't seem to be panicking as she had just a few minutes ago.

Bella didn't hesitate this time. She ate her soup without looking at any of us and finished her second helping in no time. Esme asked her if she wanted thirds, but Bella politely shook her head.

Esme smiled at her and put the dirty bowl in the sink. Bella glanced at me once more before quickly averting her gaze to her lap.

"Isabella?" Carlisle spoke up for the first time.

Bella reluctantly lifted her head, looking apprehensive.

"I've noticed that you seem a little...tense. Is there anything we can do to help alleviate you?"

Bella shook her head. Her voice seemed to have disappeared. Why wasn't she talking? I found myself wondering.

"Do you need a little bit more time alone?" Carlisle pressed on. He actually sounded concerned. I had to appreciate that.

Bella bit her lip before hesitantly nodding. Her eyes flickered to mine yet again, and when she noticed me looking at her, she quickly looked down again.

"You can go upstairs to your room if you wish. Or you can stay with us. We want you to be comfortable. If you need to talk to us about anything, please don't think you can't. Do you need one of us to show you to your room?"

Before Bella could answer, Esme spoke up. "I'll go up with her. I'd like to speak to her alone for a minute. Woman to woman."

She smiled pleasantly at Bella, who returned it, albeit weakly.

Carlisle and I both stood up as Bella did. I wanted to say something to break apart some of the tension, but I knew nothing I said would make Bella comfortable. After all, she probably thought I'd killed her father. I'd kidnapped her and taken her to an unfamiliar place. I was probably the reason she acted so frightened.

"I'll be back in a moment. You two talk and get reacquainted. I'm sure there is much for you to talk about," Esme said before she gently guided Bella back upstairs.

I watched their retreating forms and hesitated. I wanted very badly to say something comforting or full of wisdom so that Bella wouldn't think I was some kind of sick monster, but I had no idea how to say it. So I stayed behind silently, wondering what Esme would say to her.

And for one unexpected moment, I wished it was me leading Bella upstairs to her empty, isolated room.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight. I own nothing.**

* * *

**12.**

The minute Carlisle closed my door I felt as though all the air had been sucked out of the room. The large, secluded room in the farthest corner of the room felt more like a prison more than anything else, and no matter how much I looked at the queen sized bed, fluttery drapes, and cream colored walls, I felt as though I were trapped inside an elaborately decorated cage.

Carlisle had said to come down when I felt up to it, but I didn't think I'd be down for the next week. It was all so much to deal with. Could it really have only been a week ago when my biggest problem was Jessica and her band of bitches?

I wasn't sure of anything anymore. My life felt like one big question mark that I was no longer in control of. My fate rested in the hands of a faceless, mysterious monster who may or may not have killed my father. I liked to think that somehow I would know if that were the case, but I felt so unsure of everything in my life now. Every time thoughts of Charlie sprang to mind, my chest felt as though it were being stabbed by a thousand knives.

I forced myself not to think about my old life. Angela and Alice felt light-years away from me. I wondered if they thought about me. Did they even miss me?

_Of course they do, _the rational part of my mind soothes. _But what can they do? _

Nothing. They're just as powerless as me. They wouldn't have the first idea about how to find me. I know I wouldn't if our roles were reversed. I'd probably just go crazy waiting for the smallest bit of news. I suddenly felt an unexpected pang of guilt for putting them through that. What if I never saw them again?

That was too painful to think about.

Even though everything inside me was screaming otherwise, I turned away from the window that oversaw the mountains of green that was this creepy ass family's backyard and laid down on the gigantic oak bed. I hated to admit that it was the most comfortable bed I'd ever laid on. It was even fluffier than the one back at Edward's mansion. I sunk into the mattress and never wanted to get up. Which was the plan, until things changed.

If I had my way I'd stay up here until Edward and his mysterious parents forgot I was here.

But that plan was shot to hell when I heard voices from downstairs. My curiosity overcame my desire to remain invisible and before I even knew what I was doing, I was standing up and moving out into the hallway.

The voices were louder without the walls muffling the sound. With only the smallest bit of hesitation, I carefully moved closer to the staircase and went down halfway in order to listen better. If I was lucky, I'd hear them talk about what they were planning to do with me.

By the time I was as close to the living room as I dared, a woman's voice flittered through the air, and my heart gave an involuntary jump. This must be Edward's mother, Esme.

"...I can't believe you came back! I thought I would never see you again."

The voice was soft and strangely soothing, like a lullaby sung to a child who struggled to fall asleep. It took me by surprise because I didn't think a woman who could mother somebody like Edward would ever sound that friendly.

And to add to my confusion even further, Edward almost sounded guilty when he quietly replied, "I'm sorry, Esme."

Esme? What kind of son calls his mother by her first name? Were these people more casual than I'd originally thought and she didn't mind being called by her first name by Edward? Or was there more to this little family than meets the eye?

I craned my neck, wanting to hear more despite my pounding heart. "It's such a relief to see you again, alive and well! And what's this I hear about a girl?"

My eyes widened slightly as I was casually brought into the conversation. It felt strange that this unknown woman would know about me when I didn't even know what she looked like. What had Edward already told her? I knew he'd mentioned me to his father. Had he spoken to them at the same time? What did they know about me? Was it bad?

Edward's voice brought me back to the present and I fought with the voice in my head that told me to run back to my room before they discovered that I was eavesdropping. "Yeah. Her name is Bella."

I gulped as my name was brought up.

"Is she..." Esme's voice trailed off. I frowned and took several deep breaths. I didn't like the tone of her voice. She almost sounded...hopeful. Hopeful about _what? _Somehow, I didn't think I would like the answer.

"It's a little early to tell," Edward replied, sounding curt and indifferent. "But she's going to be staying here for a while, so maybe once you've met her and gotten to know her, you'll be able to tell me if she'd be okay."

My throat suddenly developed a lump the size of a golfball. What the hell were they talking about? It was too early to tell about what? I'd be okay for what? Were these the reasons he brought me out here? To put me through some kind of test? If it were possible, my heart started pounding even harder in my chest. I was surprised Edward, Carlisle, and Esme couldn't hear it from downstairs. It took everything in me to calm down enough and remain firmly in place so I could continue listening.

"I'd be happy to! When do I meet her?"

Oh no! Edward was going to come upstairs and get me so he could introduce me to his unnaturally perky sounding mother! There was no way I'd make it back to my room in time! He'd know I was up here listening and there would be hell to pay, not only from him, but from his parents as well. Something told me that they wouldn't take kindly to strangers eavesdropping on their private conversations.

So I was surprised when I heard Carlisle speak up for the first time. Over my painfully thundering heart, I heard him say, "She's currently upstairs unwinding from her long journey. I'd say we give her an hour or so and then bring her downstairs. I think you're going to love her."

I sighed with relief and nearly fainted. Edward wasn't coming up to get me. They would leave me alone for another hour before they wanted to see me again. Would that be enough of a head start? How far away could I get from them in one hour? I bit my lip and turned my head to look back at the upstairs hallway. Carlisle had most likely put me on the third floor for a reason. He didn't want me escaping. Even I had to admit that the odds of jumping three stories to the ground unscathed were not high. Especially with me being so accident prone. I tripped over my own feet more times than I was willing to admit. And I was fairly certain that I would run into some trouble if I tried going out the front door.

Unwillingly, I succumbed to the fact that I was stuck here, at least for now. It would be more beneficial if I waited for a few days to get the lay of the land. I would find out this family's schedule and work around it. Maybe by then I could even gather up the guts required to make a break for it.

Edward was talking when I tuned back into the conversation. "I won't be gone long. Just...try to make Bella comfortable? She doesn't yet know what we are, and I would like to keep it that way."

Before I had time to comprehend the true meaning over what he'd just said, Esme's soft voice replied, "She'll be fine. Now go. But please hurry back."

The soft pattering of footsteps told me someone was moving. I stayed where I was against my better judgment, thinking that maybe Carlisle and Esme would continue the conversation without Edward. It was only then that I realized that a pair of golden eyes were watching me, digging into my soul.

My feet moved of their own accord and I hurried back up to my room, praying that he wouldn't follow me upstairs and yell at me.

It was only once I was tucked away into my room, the door firmly closed behind me, that I gave into my childish urge and cried uncontrollably into my pillow.

**~0~**

My body felt completely dry by the time I finally stopped crying. I didn't see how I could possibly have any liquid left. My eyes burned and felt scratchy but I couldn't close them. Whenever I tried, they would just pop back open. It was especially irritating because I wanted so desperately to fall asleep. It wasn't the best idea; in fact it was crazy. Falling asleep in enemy territory was the worst thing I could do. I would be completely susceptible to whatever devious plot they had in store for me. My guard would be down and I wouldn't be able to stop them. Falling asleep was a bad idea.

Yet I couldn't talk myself out of it. My body screamed at me to give in. _Just for a few minutes. What's the harm with just a few minutes? _It pleaded.

But I would not give in. I would stay strong. I had to. I had to keep Charlie in mind. I wasn't his daughter for nothing. I would remain strong, I would not show weakness, and if I was going down, I was going down with a fight, damn it. No more crying, no more feeling sorry for myself. This was it.

But, unfortunately, my resolve wavered when Edward came for me. The door flew open without any warning, and my traitorous body jerked to life before I had time to think about what I was doing. I shot off the bed and stared at his dark figure. He was careful as always to stay in the shadows. For some reason this annoyed me. I'd already seen his face. I knew what he looked like. Why did he insist on continuing to hide?

I didn't have much time to contemplate his reasoning. All I could do was look at him with wide, watchful eyes. I tensed up as he stepped further into the room. My legs reacted to his wide strides, backing up with every determined step he took.

What I decided about showing fear? Where the hell had my resolve gone? Charlie would be disappointed in me. What kind of police chief's daughter runs away from danger? I should be fighting, screaming, running. Anything and everything I could do in order to get away. But no. Instead, like a coward, I was backing up with a trembling body, on the verge of tears yet again as this mysterious man, this crazy, brooding, dangerous man walked slowly toward me.

And then he spoke. "My mother would like for you to come downstairs so the two of you can meet. She also prepared some soup for you since you must be hungry. She sent me up to collect you."

_What if this is a trap? _My cautious mind whispered in my head. _What if he wants to get you alone downstairs so that he can kill you? He saw you on the landing earlier. He probably knows you eavesdropped. _

I had to calm down. I had to get my nerves under control. I was no good if my fear took over. Yet I couldn't slow down my rapidly beating heart. The thought that he might be luring me into a trap was locking my feet firmly in place. Did I dare defy him? Would he listen if I told him I wasn't feeling well? That I wasn't hungry? If what he said earlier was true, I would be here for a while. There would be plenty of opportunities to meet his mother. Why did I have to do it now?

But one glance at his terrifying stance, his arms crossed over his chest, his deep sighs, told me he would not take no for an answer. So I did the only thing I could do.

I nodded and agreed.

He turned and walked toward the door, gesturing for me to follow. I did, wanting to stay a few paces behind him, Unfortunately Edward seemed to have similar ideas, for he stayed behind me as we descended to the first level. Did he think I would try to run? I tried not to think about that.

To my horror, Carlisle was waiting for us at the foot of the stairs. The expression in his eyes was disturbing enough to make me stop in my tracks. I did _not _want to continue. Surely Edward wouldn't make me?

But that's exactly what he did with an impatient wave of his hand. Swallowing my fear, I slowly made my way toward Edward's father, pushing away the terrifying thoughts that he would grab me as soon as I was within arm's reach and drag me off to a dank basement.

I stopped when I was about four feet away from him. How I wished at that moment that I had two sets of eyes so that I could watch both Carlisle and Edward! Darting my gaze from one man to the next made me look like a nervous prisoner which, even though that's exactly what I was, I did not want to outwardly portray that image. I knew I was failing miserably, though. Seeing these two large, brooding men and not knowing their intentions would be enough to make any girl scared out of their wits.

I was surprised and taken aback when Carlisle's face suddenly broke out into a grin. "Good evening, Bella. I trust you've settled in. Esme, Edward's mother, has prepared some soup for you. She's quite anxious to meet you. Would you care to join us in the kitchen?"

_No, _I wanted to scream at him. _I would not _care _to join you in the kitchen. How do I know that soup isn't poisoned or laced with some kind of drug? _

I turned around to look at Edward. Was I supposed to follow Carlisle into the kitchen as he said? Or was I supposed to stay with Edward at all times? Looking at my captive for direction made me feel as though I was giving up what little control I had left, but I did not want to make a mistake. Somehow I knew that I was out of chances.

The dark outline of Edward's head bobbed up and down in what I could only assume to be a nod. Not knowing what else to do, I turned to follow Carlisle into the kitchen.

The room itself wasn't as big as I'd imagined it would be. A simple white stove was surrounded on either side by granite countertops, and on the far left side sat a stainless steel refrigerator that looked large enough to conceal a person. I gulped involuntarily at that image and pushed the thought to the back of my mind.

A petite woman of average build stood behind one of the counters, wiping away the mess caused by cooking. Her honey colored hair curled at the ends and fell a couple inches from her shoulders. She wore a light blue button down blouse and a black skirt that reached her knees. When she heard the three of us come in, she turned around and smiled.

But her expression immediately brightened when she noticed me. "Bella! I can't tell you how pleased I am to meet you." Before I knew it, the woman had her arms around me as she gathered me in an unexpected hug. I tensed up at the invasion of my personal space.

"This is certainly an unexpected surprise," the woman I remembered being mentioned as Esme went on. "When I learned that Edward was returning to us, I had no idea that he was bringing a guest. But I'm very happy you're here. Come!" Esme let go of me and directed me to the small wooden table big enough to seat six. "I've fixed some dinner for you. You must be starved!"

I was, but I didn't want to admit it. I didn't want to open my mouth to say anything for fear that I would cry or scream. I knew they wouldn't take either of those well, so it was best just to not say anything.

I sat down and stared at the bowl of what looked and smelled like chicken noodle soup, searching for some sign that it had been tampered with. Nothing but the subtle aroma of chicken broth was noticeable, however. Esme handed me a spoon, which I reluctantly took.

Noticing three pairs of eyes watching me, waiting for me to try the soup that Edward's mother had prepared, I slowly dipped the spoon into the soup and tentatively brought that spoonful to my mouth.

I had never considered chicken noodle soup to be delicious before, but the way this woman prepared it made it taste like a delicacy. Hopefully I did not appear too eager as I made quick work of my dinner. In no time at all, the bowl was empty and I tried to ignore the unsatisfied grumble of my half empty stomach.

"Would you like some more?" Esme spoke up as though she could read my mind.

I didn't have time to shake my head no as she picked up the bowl, ladled more soup into it, and gently set it back down in front of me. Edward and Carlisle finally sat down, taking their seats across from me. As always, Edward was careful to keep to the darkest corner of the room. I wanted to tear my eyes away from him, but they stubbornly refused to do so. I could sense his impatience at my rude staring, but he didn't say anything. That was good because I didn't want him to direct his parents' attention to my rude behavior.

Once I looked away I focused all my attention back on Esme's soup. Within minutes my second helping was gone, only this time I felt much more satisfied.

"Would you like some more?" Esme asked softly as she took my empty bowl to the sink.

I shook my head, trying not to think about what would happen now that I was finished eating. I could feel Edward and Carlisle's probing eyes on me, and I didn't have the courage to look up at them. Instead I stared at my lap, waiting for someone to say something.

Carlisle was the first to break the think silence. "Isabella?"

I slowly lifted my head to look up at him. I frowned somewhat at his friendly smile. What changed within the last couple of hours?

"I've noticed that you seem a little...tense. Is there anything we can do to help alleviate you?" he asked.

I shook my head. What on earth did he have in mind? Yes, I was tense, but there wasn't anything this family could do to change that apart from letting me go. And seeing my father, knowing that he was safe. That might help. But I didn't dare say that. So I remained silent.

Unfortunately, Carlisle didn't seem satisfied. "Do you need a little bit more time alone?"

Would he really do that? He would postpone his plans for me to let me have more time to myself? Was this a trick? A sadistic way to catch me off guard?

Even if his intentions weren't sincere, I would take whatever small victory I could get. So I bit my bottom lip to keep myself from crying in relief and nodded once. I chanced a quick look to Edward in a futile attempt to find out if he was okay with this, but as usual he was impossible to read. Of course, the fact that I couldn't see his face only added to the struggle.

Carlisle spoke up again. "You can go upstairs to your room if you wish. Or you can stay with us. We want you to be comfortable. If you need to talk to us about anything, please don't think you can't. Do you need one of us to show you to your room?"

Esme answered before I had the chance to. "I'll go up with her. I'd like to speak to her alone for a minute. Woman to woman."

Then she did something completely unexpected. She smiled at me. And to my complete surprise, I returned it.

Everyone stood up as the one-sided conversation came to a close. Esme moved to stand beside me as she addressed her husband and son. "I'll be back in a moment. You two talk and get reacquainted. I'm sure there is much for you to talk about." Then she turned to smile at me once more and gestured with her hand for me to follow her upstairs.

We were silent as we walked up to the third floor. I still couldn't get over how bright and cheerful this house was. Now that I'd met Esme, it seemed more and more likely that she was behind the interior design. Neither Edward or Carlisle seemed the bright and cheerful type. Still, it was nice to know that my prison no longer had the dreary feeling of a dungeon.

I didn't have time to think about how Esme seemed to know which room was mine as she turned her head to make sure that I was still behind her, smiling warmly when she saw that I was still following her.

When we came upon the dark door to my new bedroom, Esme slowed to a stop and opened it with all the grace that Edward and Carlisle lacked and gently guided me inside.

Now that we were inside the massive room, the apprehension returned with a vengeance. I nearly doubled over in pain from it, but luckily managed to remain upright. Esme didn't bother to close the door behind her. If she noticed my distress she didn't say anything as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

She smiled at me again, patted the seat next to her in an invitation for me to take a seat beside her.

Once I was seated, twisting my sweaty hands together nervously, she began. "I know how scary this all must seem for you. I don't know how you came to be with Edward, and something tells me that I don't want to know. But I want _you _to know that I can be your friend if you let me. If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you."

She paused, possibly waiting for me to say something, but no words seemed to come. So instead, she went on. "The fact that you appear positively terrified of being here, of us, tells me that this whole situation may not be voluntary. Unfortunately, I have not spoken to Edward in a very long time. so I don't know what activities he may or may not be involved in. When I go downstairs I'll speak to him. He doesn't seem to be making this situation any easier for you. But I will. Okay? I promise that I will do everything I can to make you comfortable, to keep you safe. Whatever is necessary."

When I still didn't reply, she went on. "Bella?"

I slowly lifted my head to look up into her eyes, my own eyes wide with surprise.

__Esme smiled sadly at me. "I keep my promises. And please don't forget. I'm here for you if you need to talk or just want some company."

Whatever I'd been expecting, this was certainly not it. I stared at Esme, trying to find the words that were required to reply. But none seemed to come. And I was surprised to find that I wanted to say something. To reassure her that if I needed to, I would go to her. She was the only person so far that had shown me any kind of compassion.

When it was clear that I wouldn't be saying anything, Esme assured me once more that I'd be okay, patted me softly on the back, and stood up. She walked gracefully to the door, her heels clacking on the hardwood floor as she went, and left me alone with my thoughts.

I stared at the closed door, suddenly pissed at myself for acting like such a coward. Why did I have to act like such a dumb idiot? Charlie raised me better than this. I should be fighting my way out of here. I shouldn't be listening to the kind words of a stranger. What if they turned out to be false? Captors often fed their prisoners lies in order to gain their trust and cooperation. How many times had my father told me that?

My brain felt as though it were going to split in half. I wanted this hellish day to be over. I wanted nothing more than to shut off all the lights, collapse on my bed, and fall into a deep sleep.

So that's exactly what I did.

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**A/N: So what do you think about Esme? Is she telling the truth? Are Bella's fears justified? Edward and Bella have a few more obstacles to overcome before any sort of romantic thoughts can happen, but rest assured, it will happen! There is still so much story left to tell! I hope you stick with me! And please don't forget to review. Your input is greatly appreciated and helps more than I can possibly say.**


	13. Chapter 13

**13. **

The sun blazed through the open window when I woke up the next morning. I noticed that the shades were drawn, the window cracked enough that I could hear the tree branches fluttering and birds chirping. Had they always been open? Or had someone come in during the night and opened them? It seemed like an odd sort of thing to do, but these people were strange and I would not have put it past them to do it.

The thought that someone had been inside my room when I was sleeping was enough to put me on edge. I was out of bed and changed in nearly a minute. I should have locked the door, but like an idiot I didn't.

I glanced at the time on my cell phone. It was nearly ten a.m. Where was Edward? Surely he would have woken me up by now. Was he here, or had he gone out earlier? I cowered at the idea that I was possibly here alone with Carlisle. My apprehension of Esme had dwindled a bit after the talk we'd had last night. But Carlisle freaked me out. His domineering stature, his watchful eyes, and his odd expressions did nothing to put me at ease around him.

I stared at the door, torn between wanting to stay here where it was relatively safe, and going downstairs. Maybe if I made my presence known, they would think they weren't intimidating me as much as they were. I would be less of a victim if I kept a strong outward appearance. The idea of me being an intimidating stature was laughable. Like anyone would ever take me seriously.

I was startled from my thoughts by a knock at the door. My eyes snapped to the door of their own accord. They were wide and I imagined showed every glimpse of the tight apprehension deep in my gut.

I brought the thick comforter up to my chin as the door slowly opened. The muscles in my legs tensed, ready to spring. Edward appeared, his face hidden in a black cloak that looked as though it had been pulled straight from the 1800s. I hated not being able to see his face. I couldn't tell what he was feeling. There was no way for me to know if he was angry.

He stayed on his side of the door and peeked his hidden head inside my room. I didn't dare look away from him. "Are you awake?"

This seemed like a stupid question since I was staring right at him, but I did not say this aloud. Instead I nodded like an idiot.

"Esme wanted me to inform you that breakfast is ready. She said you don't have to come down if you don't want to, but she would like it if you came down. You will need to eat eventually," Edward continued, seemingly unaware of my mood.

I could tell he was staring at me even though I couldn't see his face. He expected me to have some kind of reaction to him, but I was frozen. It was a dilemma made even more difficult by my inability to see him. He was probably tired of my constant fear.

After another moment of silence he sighed and left, slamming the door shut behind him. Only when he was gone did I breathe a sigh of relief.

I waited until a few minutes had passed before I finally threw the covers off myself and stood up. After stretching, I walked over to the closet, not expecting to find anything but I didn't want to go downstairs in the clothes I'd worn yesterday.

My mouth fell open at the treasure trove I found once I opened the closet door. Rows upon rows of clothes stood in front of me, waiting to be discovered. There was everything from t-shirts and blouses to prom dresses and mini-skirts. And all of them were my size. I didn't know whether to be impressed or terrified. I stood frozen, unable to take it all in. Then, when I finally snapped back to reality, I pulled a yellow t-shirt off its hanger and a pair of dark blue jeans and quickly changed.

After running my fingers through my hair a few times I finally got up the courage to step outside my room. The hallway was still too dark to see much, but I was beginning to grow accustomed to the darkness and easily found my way to the stairs. I took my time going down, not eager to see Carlisle and Esme again. The thought of having to speak to them and be nice was almost sickening.

When I finally stepped into the kitchen I found myself faced only with Esme. When she saw me she smiled widely. "Good morning, Bella! Did you have a pleasant night?"

Slowly I nodded, wringing my hands nervously as I kept my gaze on her. I still didn't trust her after our talk the previous night.

"I trust Edward wasn't too harsh with you?" Esme began gently, turning away from me to focus on the eggs she was frying. When she turned back around and noticed that I was still standing there she gestured to the table. "Please, why don't you sit down?"

I sat down in the farthest seat from her as possible and folded my hands in my lap as I watched her slide the scrambled eggs onto a plate. She set it down in front of me, then poured me a glass of orange juice. I didn't touch either one, waiting for her to leave the room. My heart sank when she sat down in the chair across from me instead. She smiled at me expectantly, nodding to the plate. "Please, Bella. You must be hungry."

I hesitated for only another moment, then my hunger won out. I grabbed my fork and scooped up some of the eggs. To my surprise, they were delicious.

Esme watched me eat. Her stare felt like a weight, and no amount of ignoring it made it go away. I wanted to ask her to leave, but I didn't want to appear rude. Especially since this was her house. I was the guest. Or prisoner. It depended on how I looked at it.

When I was done Esme was quick to grab my plate. "Would you like some more? There's plenty of eggs."

"Aren't you going to eat?" I asked before I could stop myself.

Esme smiled again, looking far more kind than I ever expected her to be. "I already ate before you came down. Please don't worry. There's plenty of food here so you'll never have to go hungry."

"Thanks." I nodded at her that I could take some more and she eagerly piled the food on my plate, setting it back down in front of me.

She sat back down and I had to bite back my sigh. Why couldn't she leave me alone? Couldn't she see she was making me uncomfortable? I suspected that Edward told her to keep me company or else she might have gone about her business. Edward was probably worried that I would run off. I had to admit that the idea had crossed my mind, but it left the moment I remembered that I had no idea where I was. My cell phone wasn't working, and I had no idea if my dad was even still alive. There was nothing I could do.

I coughed as I let out an unintentional sob. The thought of Charlie dead, probably by Edward's hand, was too much to comprehend this early in the morning. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the image of Charlie's dead body at Edward's feet out of my head. It made me choke on the eggs and I grabbed the napkin in front of me and quickly spit them out.

Esme's face was shocked when I looked back at her. "Are you all right, dear?"

I forced myself to nod. "Yeah. Sorry."

"Are you finished?" Esme asked, standing up.

I stood up too and picked up my plate before she could get to it. "Yes, Esme. Thanks. It was delicious." I walked over to the sink and put the plate into it. "Should I clean up?"

Esme sounded appalled. "Of course not! This is my house, and you are my guest. You don't have to do any chores here." She paused, then asked sharply, "Has Edward made you do anything while you were with him?"

I shook my head so fast I nearly got whiplash. "No, he hasn't! I just didn't want you to think I was going to leave you with my dirty things..." I trailed off, realizing how stupid I sounded. "Thanks," I mumbled, then left the room before it got any more awkward between us.

"Do you need me to show you anywhere? Maybe you'd like to go to the library?" Esme called out after me.

"I can find it on my own. If I can," I added quickly.

I could hear the smile in Esme's voice when she replied. "You can go anywhere you like. Except the rooms on the second floor. Most of it is Carlisle's work offices and you don't need to trouble yourself with his boring paperwork. If you need me, just find me."

I didn't reply, instead hurrying as far away from her as I could. I assumed Carlisle was at work, and I had no idea where Edward was. I wasn't too keen on running into him but he hadn't exactly said I wasn't allowed to go anywhere. Esme's words reassured me somewhat and with a small batch of newfound courage I wandered into the bright hallway that seemed like it went on forever.

All the doors were closed, and the first few that I tried were locked. The second door on the left held a small guest bedroom, and the room across from that was a bathroom large enough to fit my old bedroom back home. The walls were adorned with dozens of paintings, most of them looked as though they were of Edward's relatives. It was eerie how many of them looked like Carlisle and Esme in different outfits of the past.

I stopped and stared at one that depicted a couple who looked just like Carlisle and Esme sitting on a purple sofa in mid-eighteenth century clothing. Neither of them were smiling. One of the man's arms was draped over the woman's shoulders, the other placed on the armrest. The woman's hands were folded neatly in her lap. She wore a violet gown with white ruffles along the collar and the long sleeves, her honey colored hair up in a bun on top of her head. The man wore a tailored black suit with fancy black leather shoes. Both of them looked very wealthy and stylish. But I couldn't get over how much they looked like the couple I'd met only a few days ago.

I tore my gaze away from it and hurried past it, opening the next door I came across and hurrying inside.

Luckily this room happened to be the library. This place made Edward's library look like a closet.

It was even bigger than the school library back in Forks. It was the biggest room I'd seen so far, with floor to ceiling shelves on every wall. And they were all stacked with books. The only exception was the far wall, which had a large window that overlooked the front of the house.

My eyes were too small to take it all in. I didn't know where to start. I felt like it would take weeks just to look at everything, and even that didn't seem to do it justice. I stepped farther into the room and walked in circles to get a better look at my surroundings. I felt like I could live here and be perfectly content.

After what felt like hours I finally stepped up to a shelf and gazed upon the books adorning them. They seemed to be biographies. And they had everyone's from Marilyn Monroe to Abraham Lincoln. I absently touched the spine of a biography of Audrey Hepburn, longing to pick it up and start reading, but I didn't want to give them a reason to be mad at me. So I hesitantly stepped away from it and moved on to the next one.

These were religious books, from Christianity to Buddhism. And the next one had every cookbook known to man. It felt like I was in an actual library and these people owned every single book that had ever been published. They even had children's literature!

I sighed as I took a seat on the window bench. I looked outside and thought longingly about home. I felt guilty for being so distracted by their library. I needed to focus on finding a way out of here. I had no idea what I would do if I succeeded. Maybe find the police station and tell them about what had happened to me. Maybe they would recognize me from the missing person's database from Forks, but I doubted it. If Charlie was dead, and there was no reason for me to think otherwise, then there was no one who would be really missing me. I hadn't heard from Angela or Alice either, so maybe they thought I was sick or something.

I knew the only way for my father not to be out looking for me was if something awful had happened to him. The thought made my eyes well up with tears but I pushed them away before they could fall. I would not cry again. I couldn't be weak and helpless anymore. I had to find a way out of here, and sitting here crying was not how to do it.

With that thought in mind, I stood up and walked out of the library. I ignored all the strange paintings of what I could only call Carlisle and Esme and looked around for anything that might help me escape. I couldn't just walk out the front door. For all I knew, Edward was there right now, guarding it in case he thought I might be stupid enough to try.

I opened all the doors that weren't locked, but they only ended up being more guest bedrooms. All their windows were sealed shut, and there weren't any extra doors that led to the outside. Feeling dismayed, I walked back down the hallway and came upon the entryway that led to the kitchen. I could hear Esme still in there. The sink was still running and she was humming as she busied herself. I made sure to stay as silent as possible as I walked past the kitchen into the parlor.

These windows were sealed shut as well. I quickly looked for a latch or anything that might make them open but nothing I tried worked. I could glimpse the outside world, but I couldn't access it. It was frustrating as hell.

Finally I decided to give up on finding anything on the first floor. I hurried up to the second floor, trying to decide if I dared look around. This was the one place Esme told me not to go. So obviously it was the most logical place to search. What was up here that she didn't want me to see?

The entire second floor was encased in darkness. The curtains to the windows were drawn and all the lights were off. I didn't dare turn anything on for fear of being found. I didn't want to risk angering Esme, especially after how nice she'd been to me so far.

So I took slow, cautious steps as I looked around for any loose end. But it wasn't easy since all the doors were locked and the curtains prevented me from getting a good look at the windows. Every step I took made the floors creak and my heart to jump because I was so afraid I'd turn around and find Edward or Esme standing behind me.

It didn't take me too long to give up and go back to the first floor. Nothing on the third floor would help me, and any jump I made from that level was only going to give me a stay at the hospital if I was lucky. I went back to the library and sat down by the window. This giant mansion was beginning to feel like a prison. They didn't even need to keep watch on me. All they had to do was take away every possible exit point and I was their conveniently trapped prisoner.

Too tired to try again, I promised myself that I would figure out a way tomorrow. Instead I decided to pass the time by reading a book. If I couldn't literally escape, I could do it figuratively instead.

I walked over to a shelf and gazed upon its selection. Most of it didn't sound appealing, but then my eyes fell upon a tall brown book with no title. Curious, I picked it up and walked back to the window seat. It was heavier than it looked and felt like a weight as I settled it on my lap. The front of the book didn't have a title either. I opened it.

The front page was slightly yellowed with age and had the words _Carlisle Cullen _written in the center in elegant cursive. It looked like it came straight out of the eighteen hundreds.

I turned the page, and found myself face to face with more old pictures with people from the past. One young man looked just like Carlisle. I frowned. This had to be his family history, but it couldn't be him. There were people who had ancestors who looked just like him, but this was strange, even for that. The clothing style looked like it came from the fifteen hundreds, as I turned page after page, the styles changed from century to century. Portraits became pictures, but they all had one face that remained unchanging.

Somewhere in the middle, the woman who looked just Esme began to appear. There was one portrait that looked just like the one on the wall, and I couldn't help but gasp at how striking these people were. I stared at it for what felt like ages, then when I turned the page I came upon a small portrait that looked just like the other one, except this one had one more person.

Standing behind Carlisle and Esme and in the middle, was a handsome young man who didn't look much older than me. He had thick bronze hair that was parted to the side and suggested a wealthy upbringing. His posture was perfect, his arms behind his back comfortably. His eyes were the exact ones I'd looked into the one time I'd seen Edward's face. His lips were raised upward at the edges, making him show the barest hint of a smile. Otherwise his face remained as passive as Carlisle and Esme's.

This couldn't be, could it? It would be one thing for Carlisle to have an ancestor who looked just like him. But could Esme have one as well? And it was damn near impossible for the two ancestors to have not only met but to have obviously been in love as Carlisle and Esme themselves were. I felt like I was being confronted by a very complicated puzzle and the pieces were all there but didn't want to come together. And somehow I felt as though I already knew the answer but was refusing to see it.

I turned the page again, and saw handwriting where I was expecting more pictures.

_'Carlisle Cullen, Esme, and Edward. Blackwood Hall, England, 1829'_

I read and reread the words, unable to comprehend them. Carlisle, Esme, and Edward. In England. In 1829. Could it just be a strange, unbelievable coincidence? Or had I unintentionally stumbled upon the mysterious Edward's secrets?

My hands were shaking as I flipped to the next page. Part of me didn't want to continue, afraid of what I might find. There was more writing, and even though I didn't want to read, I found myself unable to stop.

_'Today Esme found a stable and begged me to take her and Edward riding. I told her it wasn't an activity suited for a lady but she insisted. How could I resist? The woman loves an adventure and I found her a natural with a horse.' _

Below the caption was a drawing of Carlisle, Esme, and Edward all on horseback. Esme was on sidesaddle and wore an attractive black cloak and tan riding pants, her hair twisted into a braid. Carlisle and Edward wore matching red jackets with black pants and black riding boots.

I couldn't help my curiosity and was about to turn the page again when a familiar voice stopped me.

"Well, well, well. Look who couldn't keep her nose where it didn't belong."

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A/N: So sorry for the pathetically long wait. I feel horrible, but I do plan on finishing this story. Please review and let me know how I'm doing. There are still people out there, right? :)


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Better late than never. :) I really like this chapter, I enjoyed writing it. I hope you enjoy reading it! I would love to hear your thoughts and always I appreciate the great reviews! Please keep them coming! This story is for you. **

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**14. **

My head snapped up at the familiar voice. My body's instinctual flinch caused the book to fall from my lap to the floor but neither of us made a move to pick it up. My eyes widened when I looked at Edward who, for the first time since meeting him, was not hiding his face in the shadows.

I took it in even though I wanted nothing more than to turn away. The scars on his face marred his features but there was something about his eyes...something about the unnatural golden color that made me see the beauty underneath.

"Go on," Edward said as he stepped into the room. I tensed up as he approached but he stopped a few feet away from me. He towered over me and every instinct I had screamed at me to run away.

"Wh...What?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I know you want to ask me about what you just saw. Go ahead. I won't lie to you."

His smooth voice sent involuntary shivers down my spine. I wanted to lean down to pick up the book but I couldn't move. It was like my body was frozen in some kind of trance and I knew that I wouldn't be able to look away from him if I tried.

"What...um, what do you mean?" God, could I sound any more like a coward?

"You know perfectly well what I mean." Edward took another step toward me and I flinched when he reached out one of his hands, but he only bent down to pick up the book at my feet. For the first time since he entered the library our eye contact was broken and I felt like I could think more clearly. I looked away from him and glanced at the door that felt miles away.

Edward seemed to pick up on my train of thought because he laughed softly and said, "Don't even think about it."

"I wasn't," I replied quickly but I'd never been much of a liar. He wouldn't do anything, would he? I could feel my heart rate pick up at the thought of what would happen if I tried to run.

"Aren't you going to ask me about the pictures? About what my family and I are doing in pictures taken more than a century ago?" he asked carefully. He held the book in his arms as though it was a small child. He even stroked the leather spine reverently.

"Um..." I began but for some reason the words wouldn't come. Asking him about what I just read felt irrelevant somehow. Did I need to hear confirmation of my suspicions? Did I _want _to? "Is...Is that you and your parents?"

He waited a few seconds before answering. I snuck a look at him again and met his eyes once more. How strange that he suddenly no longer felt the need to hide his face. I wondered why the sudden change but didn't dare ask him.

"It is. What you just saw is the complete and utter truth. Carlisle, Esme and I were all alive in 1829. Though some of us have been around even longer than that," he replied. He might as well have been talking about the weather for how casual he sounded. I couldn't get over his abrupt change of character.

"Even longer? By how long?" I asked before I could stop myself. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans as I waited for his response.

"Before I answer that, I want you to understand something. And I want an honest answer," he said. He walked around me and sat down beside me. The close proximity sent new tendrils of fear down my spine. I knew he had to be angry with me for seeing Carlisle's journal. I was waiting for the outburst I knew was coming and I didn't want to be within hitting range should he feel the need. But I didn't want to face his wrath should I get up and put some distance between us. So I reluctantly stayed where I was and faced the man I was no longer sure even was a man.

"If I tell you these things about me, that's it. There's no going back. No human ever hears the stories of our kind for very long and that's the way it has to stay. I can't risk you going off and telling the world about us. It's bad enough you know as much as you do already." He turned so that he was facing me completely and I felt the need to do the same. So I did and forced myself to look into his eyes again.

"Whatever hope you're still holding on to about reuniting with your father must go if I tell you about me. About us. Do you understand?"

I sucked in a breath as I tried to wrap my brain around what he'd just said. I stared at him for a moment even though I knew doing so might be the end of me. I knew he couldn't be so comfortable with me looking at him so freely. But I had to know if he was telling the truth.

"So you're saying that...if you tell me the truth about you I can never leave." The question comes out sounding like a statement. I hate how defeated I sound. Edward's nod of reply doesn't really surprise me. And somehow I know that he's telling the truth.

"Never, Bella. We have rules just as humans do. If you want to ever return to your father, I suggest you leave the library and forget everything you just saw," he replied bluntly.

"Do I have to answer right away?" I asked, surprising myself. Why was my answer anything other than yes? Yes, I should leave and never ask Edward another question ever again. Yes, I should do whatever it takes to get away from him and back to Charlie. But I found myself wanting to know his secrets and that realization scared me. I didn't want to ruin my life based on a rash decision.

Edward seemed to think about it. He stared at me with such a deep stare that I wondered if he was trying to read my mind. The thought unsettled me, especially since it might not be so farfetched after all. I squirmed uncomfortably while waiting for his answer.

"I suppose not," he finally said with an edge to his voice. "But do not try my patience, Isabella. This does not mean I will just tell you anything you want to know if you decide you want to know. There are limits to my generosity. So if you do not want answers today I suggest you leave the library and go to your room."

His tone signaled the end of our conversation. He stood up and motioned for me to do the same. I swallowed heavily as I turned to leave, forcing myself not to run from the room as fast as my feet could carry me.

It wasn't until I was back in my room, collapsed on my bed, that I realized I might have just blown the one chance I had of going home.

**~0~**

There had to be a way of finding Edward's secrets out without him knowing. Just because he might be immortal didn't mean he was all knowing. Esme told me he would be out for the rest of the afternoon so I took the opportunity to do a little digging.

As far as I knew Carlisle was away as well. Esme seemingly disappeared after lunch and I couldn't hear her anywhere. I didn't let myself hope that I was here alone. Esme had to be here somewhere. If she wasn't then Edward probably set some kind of trap for me.

I didn't want to think about what would happen if he found out I was still looking into it. Being the daughter of a police chief, I had the desire to find out as much as possible. I couldn't let a mystery sit around unsolved. Despite the warnings Edward had given me and the possible danger that awaited me on the other side, I had to know what he was hiding. What this whole family was hiding.

But it wasn't easy, as it turns out. The Cullens hid their secrets very well. It was a wonder I'd found Carlisle's journal in the library, though when I went back for it later that day I was unsurprised to find that it was no longer there. Edward must have moved it the second I'd left the library.

A sudden thought occurred to me and I chastised myself for not thinking of it sooner. It would require finding Esme since I didn't want to risk being caught searching her house with her unaware of it. Especially now when I didn't think she was human.

Finding her proved to be easy, however. She was in a large room on the first floor talking on a cell phone. She had her back to me and was facing a large window looking out at the front garden. I tried to make my steps as quiet as possible but she turned around as soon as I moved. I froze in place but all she did was offer a warm smile.

"I'll call you back," she said to whoever was on the other line and abruptly hung up. Her smile, if possible, grew even wider. "What can I do for you, Bella?"

"Um..." I really needed to get over this fear of Esme. Carlisle and Edward were one thing, but it seemed irrational to be afraid of a woman who could look at me as warmly as she did. "I was just wondering..."

"Yes?" she encouraged.

"Well...I was just wondering if you had a...a computer I could use," I muttered, averting my gaze to my feet.

Esme laughed. It wasn't a mocking laugh. It was soft and sounded both amused and relieved. "Yes, dear. You can use a computer any time you want." Then the smile disappeared slightly from her face as she took a deep look at me. It felt like she was trying to see right to the core of my being. "Did my son...did he not treat you well? While you were with him?"

The question took me off guard and for what felt like minutes I could only stand there staring at her. I wasn't sure what to make of her question. Edward didn't necessarily treat me _horribly, _but there were times when I'd been petrified by the very sight of him. There were times when I was still afraid of him, though I had to admit that the fear had lessened somewhat since coming here. But I wasn't sure if I could admit all that to Esme. She seemed to love her son and I didn't think she could stand to hear it if he was doing something to disappoint her somehow.

"It's all right, Bella." Esme saved me from having to answer, though she seemed to find all the answer she needed in my silence. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. There's a computer in my living room. I'll show you."

She stood up, her dress flowing in an elegant way that reminded me of a ballerina. She had such grace. I couldn't help the sudden jealousy that rose up and I did my best to suppress it.

I forced a smile as she walked by me to lead the way. I wanted to thank her but the words didn't want to come. Once again I silently berated myself for showing fear in front of her. Esme didn't warrant irrational fear, though to my mind apparently she did. I even stayed three steps away from her as she led me out of the room she was in and down the wide hallway to an open room at the very end.

This room-Esme's living room-was as beautiful as she was. The walls were painted a soft yellow that reminded me of afternoon sunlight. Several paintings depicting nature hung on the walls. On the farthest wall housed a giant bookcase with what appeared to be thousands of books stuffed on the shelves. I didn't see how there could be any more books after the treasure trove that was the Cullen library. There was a plush white sofa that was wide enough for four people to sit on comfortably, as well as a matching armchair, glass coffee table settled between them, a 72" plasma TV, and right underneath the window was a desk with a closed MacBook Pro.

Esme walked in and opened the MacBook for me. I hovered near the doorway, hardly able to believe to had been this easy. Did she not think I would use the internet to call attention to myself? I could always leave a message on Charlie's Facebook account. He hardly ever checked it, but at least he would know I was alive. Alice and Angela were on at least fifty times a day...

"Bella?" Esme's voice interrupted my reverie.

I looked up into her smiling face. When did this woman not smile? The computer was open and ready to use. She gestured for me to take a seat. I did so and when she did not leave immediately I became worried. Was she going to watch me in case I tried to make contact with my father? I hadn't thought of that before but it seemed like something Edward would make her do. I inwardly cursed my stupidity. How did I not see that coming?

She showed me briefly what all the symbols meant, as if I had never used a computer before. More than once I felt like interrupting her and telling her I knew all this already but I didn't want to appear rude. When she was finished I thanked her, and her golden eyes lit up.

"Any time. I want you to feel like a guest here, so if you ever want to come in here to use the computer, watch TV, or read, you can. And you don't have to ask. I want you to feel like this is a room you can come to whenever you want. Okay?" she asked. For what felt like the millionth time since meeting her, I couldn't believe this woman's kindness.

I nodded once and met her eyes. "Okay. Thanks."

She smiled once more and then, to my immense relief and surprise, she left me alone.

Immediately I had the internet up and debated what I wanted to do first. I was still curious about the Cullens but didn't want to pass this opportunity up. I quickly logged into my Facebook account and nearly cried out in relief when the familiar page opened.

The first thing I noticed were the trillions of messages from Alice and Angela demanding to know where I was. The comments grew more heated as they went, until the very last ones which bordered on hysterical mania.

**Alice: WHERE THE F***KING HELL ARE U? **

**Angela: This isn't cool, you know? Why won't you answer your phone? Do you have ANY IDEA how worried we are? **

There were plenty more of them and my guilt grew after reading each one. Like I could help getting kidnapped by a madman? Or whatever Edward Cullen was?

I quickly typed a plea for help to both my friends, assuring them I was okay but that my phone was mysteriously not working. I told them I was in Portland and to tell my dad if he didn't already know.

Then I typed a message on Charlie's page, which resembled my previous ones except they were more emotional. Neither of us really showed our affection for each other in the traditional father/daughter ways but I couldn't help the tears that flowed freely down my cheeks as I gave my father as detailed of an account as possible about what had happened since that fateful night.

Finally I pressed send and instant relief flowed through me. It felt like a thousand pound weight had just been lifted off my shoulders.

I didn't want to log off Facebook, mostly because I was hopeful I would get a reply back from someone. But none came. I had no idea how long I sat there but neither Angela, Alice, or Charlie logged on.

Then, just as I was about to log off, an IM appeared. It was from Alice.

**Alice: Bella? Is that you? **

**Bella: Yeah, it's me. **

**Alice: Where have you been? Ang and I have been worried sick!**

**Bella: I know, and I'm sorry. I was kidnapped. **

A long pause followed. Then she finally replied.

**Alice: What do you mean kidnapped? By who? Where are you?! **

**Bella: I can't really explain it here right now. But I'm in Portland. Please tell my dad. I know he's gotta be out of his mind. **

**Alice: You're in Portland? Do you still have your cell phone? Maybe Charlie can track it or something. I've seen it on TV. **

**Bella: It probably won't work. It's been dead ever since...**

**Alice: But he's going to need more to go on. What's your kidnapper's name? **

**Bella: Edward Cullen. He brought me to his parents' house. Their names are Carlisle and Es**

Suddenly my right shoulder was jerked painfully behind me, cutting me off mid-sentence. The person behind me tugged again, this time harder and I fell from the desk chair to the ground.

I winced and bit my lip to keep myself from crying out in pain. When I looked up I saw that Edward had taken his seat where I'd been previously and was quick in logging out of my Facebook page. I knew it was irrational and crazy to think, but I couldn't help but be surprised that he knew how. He'd never really struck me as technology-savvy.

"The next time I find you on this computer, I'll lock you in your room until we go back to Forks," Edward growled in a dangerously low voice.

"But...Esme said-"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT ESME SAID!" Edward roared, turning on me so fast his entire profile blurred.

I gasped and flinched away from him and winced when I put pressure on my now sore shoulder.

"You will _not _contact anyone from your old life again, Isabella. Do I make myself clear? NEVER!" Edward snapped. I saw intense fury in his eyes that I had never seen before. "You belong to me, Isabella. Don't ever forget that!"

He stood up, towering over me, and I was suddenly afraid that he would hit me. But he didn't. Instead he grabbed my arms and pulled me to my feet. I wobbled on my unsteady legs but thankfully did not crumple to the floor as I wanted to.

"Go to your room. I'll get you when it's time for dinner. And when I come get you, you better be there."

Then he pointed to the doorway as if I were a scolded child. Seeing no other option I turned around and started to make my way out of the living room. I didn't dare say or do anything that might trigger more of his anger. I didn't dare argue that Esme told me I could use the computer. I had a feeling that would only make things worse for me.

The walk up to my room was awkward and seemed to drag on forever. Edward followed me the whole way and kept his watchful eye on me until I had closed my bedroom door behind me. I half expected him to lock me in but he didn't. I didn't hear his retreating footsteps but assumed he'd left. I hoped he did.

I had no idea how long it would be until dinner was ready but I suddenly no longer felt any need to leave this room. Leaving this room would only get me in trouble and I didn't need to set Edward's anger off any more than I already did. I didn't need to give him any reason to think I was more trouble than I was worth and that killing me would be his best option.

I laid on the bed and expected the tears to come. But they didn't. All I could think about was the short conversation I'd had with Alice. She knew I was in Portland. She knew Edward's name and Carlisle's name. It would be enough for my dad to track down. With any luck he'd be here by tomorrow morning.

I smiled to myself as I pictured our reunion. It would be tearful and emotional but we'd forgive ourselves for it. Charlie would arrest Edward and Carlisle and I would be back in Forks as if nothing had ever happened.

I didn't really believe it, but I couldn't let go of the hope it filled inside of me.


End file.
